Leveraging the localization of sustainable development goals through community radio to promote the participation of marginalized citizens in Ghana’s local governance elections

There seems to be limited knowledge on how Community Radio stations (CRs) facilitate the participation of marginalized groups in local government elections in Ghana. Guided by the civic forum’s theory of the media governance role, this study set out to explore the role of CR in promoting the participation of youth, women, and persons with disabilities (PWDs) in the 2023 District Level Election (DLE) in Ghana. Five purposively selected CRs within the Ghana Community Radio Network (GCRN) are used as case studies. Adopting a qualitative case study design, data collection methods include semi-structured interviews and focus group discussions (FGDs). Data analysis was conducted through thematic analysis, guided by the study’s objectives. The study has found that CRs in Ghana have consistently championed local governance issues with a special interest in strengthening grassroots involvement in local elections. With a focus on the 2023 district level election, the stations have contributed to the electoral successes of women, youth and PWDs by using a key strategy to link the election to the localization of the sustainability of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). However, limited resources on the part of the radio stations, coupled with their use of volunteer workers, whose enthusiasm to continue effectively carrying out the radio education, waned during the project, a situation that has tended to slightly limit the impact of the project. The study recommends that government agencies, civil society organizations, and donors should support CR in Ghana with funding, training, and resources to enhance their civic education programs for future local government elections.