Ghana’s political class is a diverse group of people who occupy positions of influence and authority. They include politicians, party leaders, government officials, and other significant persons who direct and impact the political landscape of the country.
Public sentiment on Ghana’s political class varies. Some people believe that the political class is corrupt and only cares about lining their own pockets. They point to the numerous corruption scandals that have involved politicians and other influential figures.
Others believe that there are dedicated and enthusiastic individuals in the political class who are working to address societal issues and improve the quality of life for Ghanaians.
To get a sense of what young people in Accra think about the political class, we went out on the streets and asked them for their thoughts. Here is what some of them said:
Prince, 19 years, Pru Advisor
“I think this government is too corrupt. They are not showing sympathy to the country. Times are hard and the youth are suffering. At the end of the day, when they engage in social vices, these same people will begin to complain. We need a good government that will support the country.”
Mathias Ayivi, 24 years, Security officer
“I think they are doing a good job but it is not satisfactory. We see the MPs driving big cars when that money can be used for the development of the country. However, this is not the case and that behavior is bringing the economy down. As a country, we have too many ministers. There should be a reduction in their number and the cost of expenditure as it can help the country a bit.”
Mabel, 24 years, Pru Advisor
“I don’t care about them. Whatever they do is none of my business.”
Theresa, 39 years, Caterer
“Actually, I really do not want to talk about it because even if I talk, there’s nothing that can be done. All that they are doing is really pissing me off so I don’t want to go there.”
Vanessa, 25 years, Mash Kenkey Vendor
“Honestly, they don’t seem to support anyone. I hate talking about it because our voices are never heard. There is no need for me to say a word because I barely benefit from them. These interviews usually go on day in, day out but it’s still the same; nothing changes.”
Jonathan Elorm Laku, 25 years, Unemployed
“They are all ungrateful. The reason why I say that is because we vote for them but they don’t care about us. When the time comes for a change-over, they start chasing us. However, when we vote for them and they get into office, they forget about us. When they want power, they promise us a lot but when they get it, they don’t do anything for us. This is why I think they are ungrateful.”
Bernice, 24 years, a decor student
“I can’t say anything bad about them because we are in difficult times. We need more jobs so that after school, we’ll get employed. We are calling on the President to address how things are going in the country because we are suffering.”
Abigail, 20 years, decor student
“Currently, we are in hard times and things have become expensive. When the president came into office, everything was fine. I am a beneficiary of the free SHS policy which was really helpful. If not for the president, most of us wouldn’t have been able to go to school. God bless him for what he did. However, the country is facing trying times. We are pleading with our political class and the right authorities to do something about it.”
Written by Aryee Esther Naa Korkoi
Interviews have been edited for length and clarity.