How Social Media Shapes Policy Change in Ghana

Key Points

• Social media drives impactful policy change in Ghana’s governance.
• Tagging policymakers online increases advocacy visibility and engagement.
• Hashtag campaigns like #FixTheCountry demand change from government leaders.

In Ghana, social media has emerged as an essential instrument for citizens to champion policy reforms. Platforms including as Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp have empowered ordinary Ghanaians to contest the status quo, seek accountability, and advocate for legislative and policy reforms.

Comprehending the policy framework in Ghana

Prior to initiating a social media advocacy campaign, it is essential to comprehend the policy-making process in Ghana. The policy process encompasses various stakeholders, including government ministries, Parliament, civil society organizations (CSOs), and the public. Principal entities such as the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Education are crucial in the formulation of national policy.

The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) Act, 1994 (Act 479) designates the NDPC as the entity accountable for planning and coordinating Ghana’s development strategy. Ministries present policy ideas to the NDPC for evaluation, subsequent to which Parliament may deliberate and ratify them.

Advocates can assess online public concerns to pinpoint areas necessitating policy modifications. Social media platforms like Twitter and Facebook offer immediate public feedback on significant problems. The #FixTheCountry campaign, initiated in 2021, arose from citizens’ discontent with inadequate infrastructure and youth unemployment.

Developing an engaging social media advocacy campaign

Upon recognizing the policy deficiency, the subsequent stage is to develop a compelling social media campaign. Campaigners must establish explicit objectives, formulate a message, and galvanize public support.

Establishing objectives is crucial for any campaign, as it delineates the campaign’s intended outcomes. The objective of #DumsorMustStop, which advocated for the cessation of Ghana’s recurrent power outages, was to compel the government to ensure a reliable electrical supply.

Campaigners can attract the attention of officials, such as Ghana’s Minister of Education, on Twitter by tagging them.
Effective hashtags are essential for organizing and enhancing campaigns. The #FixTheCountry movement gained viral traction in 2021.

Involving policymakers and principal stakeholders

To effectuate policy change, social media campaigns must engage individuals possessing decision-making authority. Policymakers, legislators, and key stakeholders are critical participants in the policy process.

Government officials are becoming more active on sites such as Twitter, enabling direct engagement with citizens. Tagging authorities, disseminating open letters, and urging followers to share significant remarks can amplify pressure on policymakers.

Petitions illustrate extensive popular endorsement for a subject. Platforms such as Change.org and regional petition tools enable supporters to amass thousands of signatures. Petitions can gain traction when disseminated over WhatsApp, Facebook, and Twitter.

Partnerships with influencers, celebrities, and the media can enhance a campaign’s reach. In Ghana, celebrities such as Sarkodie, a prominent musician, endorsed the #DumsorMustStop campaign, garnering attention from both local and international media.

To enhance the efficacy of social media advocacy, campaigners must concentrate on establishing explicit objectives, producing compelling content, and utilizing channels such as Twitter, Facebook, and WhatsApp to engage important stakeholders.

By adopting this strategy, advocates can effectuate significant transformation, one hashtag at a time.