Koforidua Communique: Democracy Not For Sale

Koforidua hosted a significant dialogue on August 28, 2026, addressing the rising role of money in Ghana's democratic system. Organized by the Democracy Not for Sale project and partners, the forum brought together local government, civic education, electoral administration, and human rights experts to discuss the issue. Drawing from a survey of over 300 interactions and 141 structured interviews, the communique revealed several key findings.

The dialogue underscored the widespread awareness of vote buying, with 99.3% of respondents aware of the practice, either having witnessed it or heard credible reports. However, perceptions of money's influence on election outcomes were found to transcend age groups, with 64.86% of respondents from the 18-25 age group considering the influence high, followed by 62.5% from the 51 and above group.

Notably, a significant 90.9% of respondents expressed willingness to vote for a candidate with better ideas, even if they had fewer resources, compared to only 7% who said they likely wouldn't.

Government resources were the most commonly perceived source of hidden financing for political campaigns, cited by 78% of respondents. Businessmen were next at 37%, followed by criminal proceeds at 13% and personal savings at 8%. Only 6% were unsure of the primary sources. Overall, the Koforidua communique revealed a complex landscape where awareness of vote buying is high, but voters are committed to selecting candidates based on ideas rather than wealth.