Public trust in Ghana’s leadership is slipping even though democratic institutions remain stable, a new report by Africa Policy Lens has revealed.
Hayford Mensah-Ayerakwa, Director of Research, said the Governance Trust Barometer shows a widening gap between how institutions perform and how citizens perceive them.
“If trust is broken, people begin to look for alternative ways of restoring it,” he noted on Friday, May 8, 2026.
The study highlighted weak scores in corruption perception, government communication, and civic participation.
Corruption emerged as the strongest source of distrust, with citizens voicing frustration at both politicians and public institutions.
Mensah-Ayerakwa explained that government communication often lacks clarity, transparency, and timeliness. Many people feel leaders “talk at them rather than with them”.
The report also pointed to shrinking civic engagement. Only about 41 percent of respondents said they feel safe expressing political views without fear of intimidation.
Despite these concerns, electoral processes still enjoy relatively high levels of trust, showing that institutional strength has not fully translated into public confidence.
Mensah-Ayerakwa warned that the gap between citizens and governance structures could grow worse if leaders fail to act quickly.
“Good governance is not just about institutions, it is about earning trust every day,” he emphasised.
