President John Mahama’s Approval Rating Falls to 58.9%, but Majority of Ghanaians Still Stand Behind His Leadership – IEA Survey

Ghanaians Still Approve of Mahama – IEA Survey – But Approval Rating Drops 9.1 Points From 68% To 58.9% A nationwide survey released by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) on Wednesday, June 10, 2026, shows that while most Ghanaians still approve of the performance of President John Mahama, public satisfaction has declined from previous months.

The survey, which was conducted in May 2026 in all sixteen regions of Ghana, had more than 1,000 respondents. It shows that President Mahama’s approval rating is currently 58.9% compared to 68% recorded in December 2025. About 28.4% of respondents disapproved of his performance, while 12.8% expressed no opinion.

According to the IEA, the gap of more than 30 percentage points between approval and disapproval indicates that positive assessments of the President’s performance still significantly outweigh negative ones. However, the decline in approval suggests that public expectations are continuing to rise.

Economy Remains the Biggest Driver of Approval of President John Mahama

Among those who approve of President Mahama’s performance, the economy is by far the most important reason. Nearly three-quarters of supporters (73.5%) credited the government’s management of the economy, followed by improvements in road infrastructure (16.0%) and energy and electricity services (2.7%).

These results point to a period of considerable macro-economic improvement under the Mahama administration. Inflation has dropped from 23.5% to about 3.4% since January 2025, the Ghana Cedi has appreciated by 26% against major foreign currencies and the Bank of Ghana’s policy rate has fallen from 27% to 14%.

Lending rates by commercial banks have also dropped from about 32% to around 20%. Ghana’s debt-to-GDP ratio also dropped from 61.8% at the end of 2024 to 45.3% at the end of 2025.

The economic performance has received international acclaim, culminating in sovereign credit ratings upgrades by Fitch, Moody’s and S&P for Ghana. The IEA described this as the country’s first triple credit-rating upgrade in several years.

Concerns Over Electricity Supply and Cost of Living

Instead, the institute suggests that many Ghanaians have yet to fully experience the benefits of improved economic indicators in their daily lives. For many households, lower inflation and a stronger Cedi have not yet translated into significantly lower cost of living, more job opportunities or higher household incomes.

Electricity supply was also a major problem for 29.9% of dissatisfied respondents. The Institute of Economics explains this by the short-term power shortage in May 2026, which led to recurrent power outages to homes and businesses nationwide.

Additionally, 19.1% of respondents were worried about corruption. According to the IEA, this suggests that the government of President John Mahama’s anti-corruption messaging has not yet fully convinced a significant segment of the population.

Support Has Declined, But the Foundation Remains Strong

The IEA described the overall picture as one of broad public support coupled with rising expectations.

“The findings show that Ghanaians continue to broadly support the President’s leadership, but they also expect the progress recorded at the macroeconomic level to be felt more quickly in their everyday lives,” the institute stated.

This survey is the latest in the IEA’s ongoing series of public opinion polls measuring the performance of President John Mahama.

For many people, the discussion is no longer solely about inflation figures, exchange rates or credit-rating upgrades. It is about whether these gains will translate into affordable living costs, sustainable employment opportunities and greater economic security for families across the country.

As Ghana continues its development journey, public expectations are naturally increasing. Citizens want to see progress reflected not only in national statistics but also in their homes, businesses and communities. The survey therefore presents a picture of a population that remains hopeful, supportive and increasingly focused on the practical impact of government policies on everyday life.