The inaugural Performance Tracker report of the Institute of Economic Research and Public Policy (IERPP) has rated President John Mahama’s first year in office a score of 4.9 out of 10 for his performance in 2025.

The below-average score was attributed to deficiencies in infrastructure, energy, industry and manufacturing, governance, policy implementation, and social service delivery, citing that capital expenditure execution remained a concern during the period under review.

Executive Director of IERPP, Professor Isaac Boadi, explained that the rating was based on an independent assessment of the government’s performance across various sectors.

“The team scores this administration 4.9% as against 10 for the year under review (2025). We identified five key areas that actually brought the number down, and one main area happens to be infrastructure, which we know failed to spend, and the spending of this administration’s capital expenditure stood at 0.9% in 2025,” he said.

Professor Boadi added that challenges in industry, manufacturing, social service delivery, governance commitments, and the energy sector also contributed to the overall score, leading the institute to conclude that the government’s first-year performance fell below expectations.

Meanwhile, in a similar development, a countrywide public opinion survey by the Institute of Economic Affairs (IEA) reported that President John Dramani Mahama continues to receive notable backing from citizens one year after returning to office, with 68% of Ghanaians expressing satisfaction with his performance.

The poll, conducted in December 2025 and involving more than 1,000 respondents from every region of the country, found that 22% of participants were dissatisfied with the President’s performance, while 10% said they had no view.

In a press statement issued on February 11, 2026, the IEA explained that the approval rating points to sustained public confidence in President Mahama’s leadership, even as the country grapples with several economic and social difficulties.

"Public support for President John Mahama is high, with a 68% job approval rating," the report stated.

The findings also revealed strong public anxiety over the escalating cost of living. About 71% of respondents said they are highly worried about the prices of food and other essential goods, while 20% indicated moderate concern.

In total, 91% of those surveyed acknowledged some degree of worry about increasing prices, underscoring the financial strain many households continue to experience.

The survey ranked unemployment as the country’s most urgent challenge, with 46% of respondents identifying it as their primary concern. Illegal mining, widely referred to as galamsey, followed at 30%, signalling persistent public unease about environmental destruction and the contamination of water bodies.

Meanwhile, corruption and the overall economic situation were cited by 9% and 8% of respondents, respectively, as the nation’s most critical issues.

President Mahama was sworn into office on January 7, 2025, at a time when citizens held strong expectations after the country endured economic difficulties marked by heavy debt, a weakening currency, rising inflation, and job losses.

The IEA observed that although several major economic indicators are showing signs of improvement, the country still faces considerable social and economic hurdles.

The institute added that while many Ghanaians remain optimistic about President Mahama’s leadership, they are also mindful of the urgent economic and structural challenges that demand attention.

Senior Presidential Advisor and Special Aide to President John Dramani Mahama, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, has applauded the government's performance to date.

In a Facebook post on Monday, May 5, she wrote, "So far, so great," expressing her optimism over the positive developments under President Mahama's administration.

Reflecting on the government’s initial progress, Mogtari pointed to the President's 57% popular vote and the ongoing approval ratings as strong indicators of the administration's success.

"I have been closely following the approval ratings of President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, and, like many Ghanaians, I am confident that we are on the right track," she wrote, highlighting the tangible progress made during the first 120 days of Mahama's second term.

Central to her post was an announcement about the forthcoming launch of a new Code of Conduct and Ethics.