REPORT ON “ELECTION 2012: MATTERS OF CONCERN TO THE GHANAIAN VOTER” MARCH 2012 1 | P a g e Election 2012: Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian Voter ACKNOWLEDGEMENT This research report on “Election 2012: Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian Voter” was conducted by the National Commission for Civic Education in March, 2012. This research was conducted to find out from the respondents the matters of concern they want the politicians to consider in election 2012. We wish to express our profound gratitude to the Chairperson Mrs. Charlotte Osei for embarking on this research survey. We also acknowledge that this survey has been successful due to the support, contributions and assistance of several individuals, institutions and organizations. To the two hundred and thirty (230) research assistants who went to the field to collect the data and their Directors, we say thank you for your assistance and cooperation. Our commendation also goes to the staff of the Research, Gender and Equality Department of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), other staff of the National Headquarters, and staff of the ten regional offices. The seven thousand, four hundred and ninety-seven (7,497) interviewees who availed themselves to have questions administered to them also deserve our acknowledgment. Finally, NCCE acknowledges with gratitude the diverse contribution of several other people who made this survey a success. BARON Y. AMOAFO DEPUTY CHAIRMAN (SUPPORT SERVICES) 2 | P a g e Election 2012: Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian Voter TABLE OF CONTENT Page ACKNOWLEDGEMENT ... i TABLE OF CONTENT ... ii LIST OF TABLES ... vii LIST OF FIGURES ... ix EXECUTIVE SUMMARY ... xi CHAPTER ONE ... 1 INTRODUCTION AND METHODOLOGY ... 1 1.0 INTRODUCTION ... 1 1.1 STATEMENT OF THE PROBLEM ... 2 1.2 OBJECTIVES OF THE STUDY ... 3 1.3 METHODOLOGY ... 3 1.3.1 Sample Design ... 4 1.3.2 Sample Selection ... 4 1.3.3 Survey Instrument ... 4 1.4 TRAINING OF RESEARCH ASSISTANTS ... 5 1.5 QUESTIONNAIRE ADMINISTRATION ... 5 1.6 DATA ANALYSIS ... 6 CHAPTER TWO ... 7 SOCIO ECONOMIC BACKGROUND OF RESPONDENTS ... 7 2.0 INTRODUCTION ... 7 2.1 SEX OF RESPONDENTS ... 7 2.2 AGE DISTRIBUTION OF RESPONDENTS ... 8 3 | P a g e Election 2012: Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian Voter 2.3 EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND OF RESPONDENTS ... 9 2.4 OCCUPATIONAL BACKGROUND OF RESPONDENTS ... 11 2.5 MARITAL STATUS OF RESPONDENTS ... 12 2.6 RELIGIOUS AFFILIATION OF RESPONDENTS ... 13 CHAPTER THREE ... 14 BIOMETRIC VOTER REGISTRATION AND VOTING IN THE FORTH COMING ... 14 ELECTIONS 3.0 INTRODUCTION ... 14 3.1 WILLINGNESS TO REGISTER DURING THE BIOMETRIC VOTER ... 14 REGISTRATION EXERCISE 3.2 WILLINGNESS TO VOTE IN THE FORTH COMING PRESIDENTIAL ... 16 ELECTIONS 3.3 WILLINGNESS TO VOTE IN THE FORTH COMING PARLIAMENTARY ... 17 ELECTIONS 3.4 WILLINGNESS TO VOTE FOR A WOMAN AS A MEMBER OF ... 19 PARLIAMENT 3.5 WILLINGNESS TO VOTE FOR A WOMAN AS PRESIDENT OF THE ... 21 NATION CHAPTER FOUR ... 24 RANKING OF MATTERS OF CONCERN TO THE VOTER ... 24 4.0 INTRODUCTION ... 24 4.1 RANKING OF MATTERS ... 25 4.1.1 Upper Group Matters (1st – 3rd) ... 26 4.1.2 Middle Group Matters (4th – 7th) and (8th – 11th) ... 26 4.1.3 Lower Group of Matters (12TH -14TH) ... 26 4 | P a g e Election 2012: Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian Voter 4.2 REGIONAL RANKING OF MATTERS ... 27 4.2.1 Ashanti Region – 1st Ranking of Matters ... 28 4.2.2 Brong Ahafo Region – 1st Ranking of Matters ... 30 4.2.3 Central Region – 1st Ranking of Matters ... 31 4.2.4 Eastern Region – 1st Ranking of Matters ... 32 4.2.5 Greater Accra – 1st Ranking of Matters ... 34 4.2.6 Northern Region – 1st Ranking of Matters ... 35 4.2.7 Upper East – 1st Ranking of Matters ... 36 4.2.8 Upper West – 1st Ranking of Matters ... 37 4.2.9 Volta Region: 1st Ranking of Matters ... 38 4.2.10 Western Region – 1st Ranking of Matters ... 39 4.3 FIRST RANKING OF MATTERS BY SEX ... 40 4.4 FIRST RANKING OF MATTERS BY EDUCATIONAL BACKGROUND ... 43 CHAPTER FIVE ... 44 CRITICAL MATTERS FOR OFFICE SEEKERS TO ADDRESS (1ST – 3RD RANKING) ... 44 5.0 INTRODUCTION ... 44 5.1 MATTERS ON EDUCATION ... 44 5.2 MATTERS ON HEALTH ... 45 5.3 MATTERS ON EMPLOYMENT ... 47 5.4 MATTERS ON WOMEN AND CHILDREN ... 48 5.5 MATTERS ON ROADS AND INFRASTRUCTURE ... 49 5.6 MATTERS ON AGRICULTURE ... 50 5.7 MATTERS ON YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ... 51 5.8 MATTERS ON ECONOMY ... 52 5.9 MATTERS ON ENERGY (ELECTRICITY, OIL AND GAS) ... 53 5.10 MATTERS ON NATIONAL SECURITY ... 54 5.11 MATTERS ON HOUSING ... 55 5.12 MATTERS ON CORRUPTION ... 56 5 | P a g e Election 2012: Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian Voter 5.13 MATTERS ON SOCIAL SERVICES ... 57 5.14 MATTERS ON SPORTS ... 58 CHAPTER SIX ... 59 CRITICAL ISSUES FOR THE PARLIAMENTARIAN TO ADDRESS (1ST–3RD RANKING) ... 59 6.0 INTRODUCTION ... 59 6.1 EDUCATION ... 59 6.2 HEALTH ... 60 6.3 EMPLOYMENT ... 61 6.4 AGRICULTURE ... 62 6.5 WOMEN AND CHILDREN ... 63 6.6 ROAD/INFRASTRUCTURAL DEVELOPMENT ... 64 6.7 YOUTH DEVELOPMENT ... 64 6.8 NATIONAL SECURITY ... 65 6.9 ENERGY ... 66 6.10 HOUSING ... 67 6.11 CORRUPTION ... 67 6.12 ECONOMY ... 67 6.13 SOCIAL SERVICES ... 68 6.14 SPORTS ... 69 CHAPTER SEVEN ... 70 GROWTH AND DEVELOPMENT OF DEMOCRACY IN GHANA ... 70 7.0 INTRODUCTION ... 70 6 | P a g e Election 2012: Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian Voter 7.1 THE BEST WAY TO STRENGTHEN GHANA’S DEMOCRACY ... 70 7.2 THE OVERALL ASSESSMENT OF HOW WELL GHANA IS GROWING ... 71 HER DEMOCRACY 7.3 THE RESPONSIBILITY FOR PROTECTING GHANA’S DEMOCRACY ... 72 7.4 THE BEST WAY TO PREVENT ELECTION VIOLENCE ... 73 7.5 SOURCES OF INFORMATION ABOUT GOVERNMENT POLICY ... 75 7.6 QUALITIES OF A GOOD LEADER ... 76 7.7 WHAT RESPONDENTS LIKE MOST ABOUT GHANA ... 79 7.8 THE OVERALL EVALUATION OF HOW WELL GHANA IS GROWING ... 80 FUTURE LEADERS CHAPTER EIGHT ... 82 FIELD EXPERIENCES OF RESEARCH ASSISTANTS ... 82 8.1 INTRODUCTION ... 82 8.2 PROCEDURE ADOPTED IN SELECTING THE RESPONDENTS ... 82 8.3 CONSTRAINTS FACED IN ADOPTING PROCEDURE SELECTED ... 83 8.4 RESPONSE TO THE QUESTIONNAIRE ... 84 8.5 POLITICS/GENERAL ELECTION ... 84 8.6 NOTEWORTHY ISSUES ... 84 8.7 SUGGESTION ... 85 8.8 GENERAL COMMENTS ... 85 7 | P a g e Election 2012: Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian Voter CHAPTER NINE ... 86 SUMMARY OF FINDINGS AND CONCLUSION ... 86 REFERENCES ... 92 APPENDIX ... 93 (A) QUESTIONNAIRE ... 93 (B) LIST OF CONSTITUENCIES ... 101 LIST OF TABLES Table 1.1: Questionnaire Administration ... 6 Table 2.1: Ages of Respondents ... 8 Table 2.2: Educational background of respondents ... 9 Table 3.1: Willingness to register during the biometric voter registration ... 14 exercises Table 3.2: Willingness to register by region in percentages ... 15 Table 3.3: Willingness to vote in forth coming presidential elections by ... 16 regions in percentages Table 3.4: Willingness to vote in the forth coming parliamentary elections ... 18 by region in percentages Table 3.5: Cross tabulation of sex of respondents with voting for a woman ... 22 as president of the nation Table 4.1: Respondents’ Ranking of Fourteen Matters in Percentages ... 25 Table 4.2: Respondents’ First Ranking of Matters by Regions, in Percentages ... 27 Table 5.1: Education ... 45 Table 5.2: Health ... 46 Table 5.3: Employment ... 47 8 | P a g e Election 2012: Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian Voter Table 5.4: Women and Children ... 48 Table 5.5: Roads and Infrastructure ... 49 Table 5.6: Youth Development ... 51 Table 5.7: Economy ... 52 Table 5.8: Energy ... 53 Table 5.9: National Security ... 54 Table 5.10: Housing ... 55 Table 5.11: Corruption ... 56 Table 5.12: Social Services ... 57 Table 5.13: Sports ... 58 Table 6.1: Matters on Education ... 60 Table 6.2: Matters on Health ... 61 Table 6.3: Matters on Employment ... 62 Table 6.4: Matters on Agriculture ... 62 Table 7.1: who is most responsible for protecting our democracy ... 72 Table 7.2: Best way to prevent election violence ... 74 Table 7.3: Best qualities of a good leader against sex of respondents ... 78 9 | P a g e Election 2012: Matters of Concern to the Ghanaian Voter LIST OF FIGURES Figure 2.1: Sex of Respondents ... 7 Figure 2.2: Age and Sex of Respondents ... 9 Figure 2.3: Occupational background of respondents ... 11 Figure 2.4: Marital status of respondents ... 12 Figure 2.5: Religious affiliations of respondents ... 13 Figure 3.1: Voting for a woman as MP for your Constituency ... 19 Figure 3.2: Voting for a woman as president of the nation ... 21 Figure 4.1: Ashanti region: Matters ranked first ... 29 Figure 4.2: Brong Ahafo region: Matters ranked first ... 30 Figure 4.3: Central region: Matters ranked first ... 31 Figure 4.4: Eastern region: Matters ranked first ... 33 Figure 4.5: Greater Accra: Matters ranked first ... 34 Figure 4.6: Northern region: Matters ranked first ... 35 Figure 4.7: Upper East region: Matters ranked first ... 36 Figure 4.8: Upper West region: Matters ranked first ... 37 Figure 4.9: Volta region: Matters ranked first ... 38 Figure 4.10: Western region: Matters ranked first ... 39 Figure 4.11: First ranking of matters by Sex of respondents in percentages ... 40 Figure 4.12: First ranking of matters by Age in percentages ... 41 Figure 4.13: First ranking of matters by educational background in ... 43 percentages Figure 5.1: Agriculture ... 50 Figure 6.1: Matters on Women and Children ... 63 Figure 6.2: Matters on Youth Development ..