Ghana’s political discourse is becoming increasingly centred on political personalities rather than the policies that shape the country’s future, according to the latest IMANI Pulse report for June 2026.
The report, which examined 1,797 political mentions across Ghana’s digital information space during the 30 days ending June 30, found that conversations on governance, the economy, infrastructure, foreign policy and elections were more often driven by political leaders and partisan loyalties than by discussions on policy outcomes and institutional performance.
Unlike previous editions that focused on whether online political discussions were positive or negative, IMANI said the June report assessed the quality and substance of those conversations.
To achieve this, the think tank introduced a new metric known as the Substance Index, designed to measure the balance between policy-focused discussions and personality-driven political narratives.
According to the report, policy-based conversations include debates on legislation, governance systems, institutional reforms, public programmes and policy outcomes. Personality-centred discussions, on the other hand, focus mainly on political leaders, party competition, electoral positioning, credibility and partisan identity.
The findings suggest that while Ghanaians remain highly engaged with national issues, many public conversations quickly shift away from the actual policies and toward political figures and party affiliations.
Foreign policy emerged as the most discussed topic during the period, generating 321 mentions. However, only 102 of those conversations about 33 percent focused on foreign policy issues themselves. The remaining 203 discussions, representing 67 percent, were dominated by political personalities and partisan narratives.
A similar pattern was observed in conversations about infrastructure. Rather than concentrating on technical matters such as project financing, procurement, engineering solutions and maintenance, discussions frequently evolved into debates over political leadership, accountability and historical performance.
The report also highlighted the online reaction to the arrest and subsequent bail of the NPP-affiliated TikTok commentator known as “Bawumia Ba.”
According to IMANI, although the incident raised important questions about due process, political expression and law enforcement, much of the public discussion focused instead on political symbolism and party identity.
The issue generated nearly 28,947 engagements, making it one of the most discussed political events monitored during the reporting period.
Overall, IMANI concluded that Ghana’s digital political landscape remains vibrant, with citizens showing strong interest in governance and national affairs. However, the report warns that these conversations are increasingly being shaped by personalities and partisan competition rather than meaningful debate on policies and institutional reforms.
