The proportion of Ghanaians who believe they have no say in government decision-making declined significantly in 2025, with the Ghana Statistical Service (GSS) reporting improvements in citizen participation and perceived influence over government actions in its Ghana in Numbers, 2025 publication.
The findings point to growing public perceptions of inclusion and accountability, as the proportion of citizens who felt unable to influence government decisions dropped by double digits.
However, the report also highlights persistent corruption concerns, with more citizens reporting that public officials directly requested gifts in the second half of 2025.
“More Ghanaians feel heard, and feeling heard is where trust in institutions begins.”
Ghana in Numbers, 2025, Ghana Statistical Service
Citizen Participation Improves as More Ghanaians Feel Heard
The Ghana Statistical Service’s findings show a notable improvement in citizens’ perceptions of their involvement in government decision-making, reflecting a gradual shift in public engagement and institutional accountability.
According to the report, the proportion of citizens who felt they had no say in government decisions fell from 42.4 per cent in 2024 to 29.7 per cent in 2025. This represents a decline of 12.7 percentage points within one year.
The longer-term figures also indicate considerable progress. In 2013, approximately six in every ten Ghanaians, representing 59.9 per cent, believed they had no say in government decisions. By 2025, that proportion had almost halved to about three in ten citizens.
The development suggests an improvement in how citizens perceive their opportunities to participate in governance and have their concerns reflected in public decision-making. The GSS also recorded progress in citizens’ perceived ability to influence government actions, another important measure of public accountability and institutional responsiveness.
The proportion of Ghanaians who felt they could not influence what government does declined from 43.2 per cent in 2024 to 33.0 per cent in 2025, representing a reduction of 10.2 percentage points.
The figures indicate that fewer citizens felt disconnected from government decisions, reinforcing the broader improvement in public perceptions of participation and influence.
Public Accountability Records Progress Over Time
The improvements in citizen participation form part of a broader picture of changing perceptions about accountability and public trust in Ghana. The decline in the proportion of citizens who believe they have no say in government decisions, from 59.9 per cent in 2013 to 29.7 per cent in 2025, highlights the scale of the change over the period.
Similarly, the 10.2 percentage-point reduction in citizens who felt unable to influence government actions between 2024 and 2025 points to a significant year-on-year improvement. These indicators are important because public confidence in institutions depends partly on whether citizens believe government listens to their concerns and responds to their needs.
However, improvements in perceived participation do not necessarily mean that accountability challenges have disappeared. The report’s findings on interactions between citizens and public officials highlight continuing concerns about corruption in public service delivery.
Direct Requests for Gifts From Public Officials Rise
Despite the improvements in citizens’ perceptions of their influence over government decisions, the GSS identified an increase in the proportion of people who reported being directly asked by public officials for gifts.
The report disclosed that 50.5 per cent of citizens reported being directly asked by a public official for a gift between July and December 2025, also referred to as Wave 3.
This represented an increase from 38.6 per cent recorded between January and June 2025, or Wave 2. The difference of 11.9 percentage points indicates that more citizens encountered direct requests for gifts from public officials during the second half of the year.
The findings highlight a contrasting trend within the accountability indicators, as improvements in perceived citizen participation occurred alongside an increase in reported requests for gifts.
The GSS identifies such requests as an everyday manifestation of corruption, underscoring the continued importance of strengthening integrity and accountability across public institutions.
Citizens’ Gift-Giving Reports Show Long-Term Decline
While direct requests for gifts increased between the first and second halves of 2025, the report also highlights a longer-term decline in the proportion of citizens who reported giving gifts to public officials.
In 2021, approximately one in every four citizens, representing 26.7 per cent, reported giving a gift to a public official. By 2025, the proportion had declined to 16.8 per cent, equivalent to about one in six people. This represents a reduction of approximately 10 percentage points over the period.
The figures suggest a decline in reported gift-giving by citizens, even as the latest data reveal an increase in direct requests from public officials. The contrast highlights the complexity of Ghana’s accountability landscape, where improvements in some indicators coexist with persistent challenges in others.
Overall, the Ghana in Numbers, 2025 findings present a mixed picture of governance and public trust. More Ghanaians feel they have a voice in government decisions and can influence public actions, while the rise in reported requests for gifts demonstrates that corruption remains a significant concern.
The findings underscore the importance of translating improvements in citizen participation into stronger institutional accountability, responsive public services and sustained efforts to address corruption.
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