The election comes as the nation seeks to recover from its worst financial crisis in decades, which led to a major debt default in 2022.
Approximately 18.7million Ghanaians headed to the polls on Saturday to vote in a presidential and parliamentary election.
The election comes as the nation seeks to recover from its worst financial crisis in decades, which led to a major debt default in 2022.
President Nana Akufo-Addo is stepping down next month after serving two terms, as allowed by Ghana’s constitution.
The race to replace him has 12 candidates, but the contest is mainly between Vice President Mahamudu Bawumia of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and former President John Dramani Mahama of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
“This is the only election that we can all see the direction of the outcome before we start voting,” Mahama said after casting his vote in Bole, his hometown. “We are hopeful and confident that we’ll win,” he added.
Bawumia, voting in his Walewale constituency, also shared his optimism. “By the grace of God, I’m very hopeful of winning this election. I think that we have done a lot of work. We have put our message to the people, I think the message has been well received,” he said.
Mahama has criticised Bawumia for representing a continuation of the current administration’s policies, which he blamed for Ghana’s economic woes.
He promised to renegotiate the terms of a $3 billion IMF bailout secured last year to restructure the country’s debts. Meanwhile, Bawumia has highlighted Ghana’s recovery, citing the 6.9% economic growth recorded in the second quarter of 2024.
Vote-counting began as polls closed. Crowds gathered in Accra’s historic Jamestown, watching election officials count the paper ballots.
The electoral commission reported that over 99% of polling stations opened on time with materials delivered as scheduled.
Both candidates noted that voting was generally calm and peaceful. Provisional legislative results are expected by Sunday, with the presidential outcome likely announced by Tuesday.
Ghana’s registered voters account for approximately 18.7 million of its 34 million population.
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