Covid-19 compelling governments to listen? : evaluating traces of listening to public opinion in Ghana's Covid-19 presidential lockdown speeches

Abstract

In democratic contexts, attention is often given to voice to ensure transparency and accountability, however, there is little evidence for social and political actors having a sense of obligation to listen, let alone incorporating concerns of stakeholders into policy decisions. This study investigated whether the speeches of the Ghanaian president, delivered during the Covid-19 pandemic, when there was a compelling obligation to listen to inform measures to curtail the spread of the virus, exhibited any traces of listening. The study was grounded in the listening theory, which originates from the idea of path building, where stakeholders engage one another's perspectives on an issue to find solutions. Through the directed content analysis, 15 speeches delivered by the president were analysed. The results showed that the president took policy decisions based on engagements with relevant international, state, and private actors. He also listened to public sentiments regarding the socio-economic effects of measures taken and consulted relevant actors to address those concerns. The study recommends that the art of consciously listening be incorporated into all policy decision-making processes and not only be done during health crises. Future research could consider how listening during policy decision-making processes translates into policy acceptance.