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The pandemic outbreak has dealt consequences on global engagements and structures. With the ongoing search for pandemic‐mitigating measures and the excesses (notably corruption) erupted in its wake, concerns have been raised about the decline in public trust, transparency and satisfaction – particularly in Ghana. This situation has spurred multilevel governance discussions regarding pandemic management. Ensuingly characterising policy makers' propositions in this regard is the civil society's salience as a control valve to governance deficits like corruption. Therefore, transcending the anecdotal claims on civil society's efficacy, this study takes a state‐society perspective to probe its relevance in fostering trust, transparency and satisfaction, relative to corruption‐stricken pandemic governance. The current study engages the general systems theory as a conceptual lens. The structural equation modelling technique was used in analysing data ( n = 519) gathered through the questionnaire survey approach. Though results of data analysis affirmed the negative effects of corruption on trust, transparency and satisfaction, the civil society received affirmation as an enhancer of trust, transparency and satisfaction. In view of these study findings, implications and future research suggestions are delimited.

Partly spurred by the notion that celebrities wield potentials leverageable for political gains, the phenomenon of celebrity endorsement has become emblematic of political campaigns. While the use of celebrities in politics is on the ascendancy, its impact on electoral fortunes in bourgeoning democracies like Ghana where the concept is nascent, has received little research focus. Considering the anticipated gains, an empirical investigation in this regard will be imperative to the politics of transitioning polities. Against this backdrop, our study investigates the salience of celebrity endorsement to voters' voting intention. Employing a questionnaire‐drawn data via the survey method, with a sample of 745, results of data analysis anchored on the structural equation modeling technique revealed a significant positive relationship between endorser credibility and political brand credibility. Similarly, study results confirmed the significant positive relationship between political brand credibility and voting intention. Finally, the significant positive relationship between endorser credibility and voting intention was affirmed. Overall, the study outcomes verify the usefulness and appropriateness of the proposed model. Based on the results, implications for political strategy and suggestions for further research are subsequently delineated.

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