Ghana's political debate is becoming less about policies and more about personalities, a shift that could weaken democratic accountability if left unchecked.
That is the central finding of the June 2026 edition of the IMANI Pulse report, which examined political discussions across Ghana's digital information ecosystem over a 30-day period ending June 30.
The report analysed 1,797 political mentions and concluded that conversations are now overwhelmingly shaped by political figures, party rivalry and electoral positioning rather than evidence-based debate on governance.
According to the report, Ghana recorded a national Substance Index of 0.24, meaning only 24 percent of political conversations focused primarily on policy while 76 percent revolved around personalities.
"Government programmes, legislative issues and development initiatives remain visible.
"However, these issues are increasingly interpreted through the lens of political identity, leadership credibility and electoral competition." - IMANI Pulse
Policy discussions losing ground
The findings suggest policy has not disappeared from public discourse. Instead, it is increasingly overshadowed by arguments about political leaders.
Rather than asking whether programmes are delivering results, many online discussions have shifted toward deciding which political camp deserves credit or blame. IMANI says this trend makes it harder for citizens to judge governments based on measurable outcomes.
The think tank argues that democratic accountability depends not simply on how much citizens participate in political conversations but also on the quality of those discussions.
"When political debate becomes dominated by personalities, partisan competition and electoral positioning, substantive policy discussions risk being displaced," the report stated.
The report introduces the Substance Index as a new way of assessing political conversations. Instead of measuring whether online discussions are positive or negative, the index evaluates whether debates are centred on policies and institutions or driven mainly by personalities.
Policy-focused conversations include issues such as legislation, governance reforms, public programmes and institutional performance.
Personality-centred discussions, on the other hand, focus on political leaders, party identity, electoral competition and individual credibility.
The findings point to a digital environment where political identity increasingly shapes how national issues are interpreted.
Democracy needs evidence-based debate
IMANI believes the growing imbalance has broader implications for Ghana's democracy.
The report argues that when political discussions move away from facts and policy outcomes, citizens lose opportunities to hold leaders accountable through informed public scrutiny.
Instead of evaluating how institutions perform, debates become contests over personalities.
While acknowledging that leadership naturally attracts public attention, IMANI says stronger emphasis must be placed on evidence, governance outcomes and institutional performance if public discourse is to contribute meaningfully to democratic development.
The June 2026 report notes that improving the substance of political conversations is not simply a communications challenge.
It is essential to strengthening accountability, encouraging informed civic participation and ensuring public debate reflects the issues that most directly affect the lives of Ghanaians.
