‘Who said We are Politically Inactive?’: A Reappraisal of the Youth and Political Party Activism in Ghana 2004–2012 (A Case of the Kumasi Metropolis)

Abstract

There is a prevailing opinion that, in almost every election, young people are the least likely to vote and these participation rates are continuously declining; youth membership of political parties is dropping (partisanship), they are less politically knowledgeable, do not participate in social or political activities, have low levels of political interest, and other factors. This research, conducted in the Kumasi Metropolis, shows that the youth are associated with political parties and thus provide a strong indication that the youth in Ghana are very active in politics and thus their engagement comes with factors that serve as a driving force.