The 80-year-old two-term president of the West African nation of Ghana, Nana Akufo-Addo, would like to pass the baton to his vice president, a protégé he’s groomed to succeed him when he steps down on Jan. 7.

But in an election on Saturday, Ghanaians may instead turn to a former president they rejected after just one term, hoping he’ll fix their many problems — chiefly, the economy.

Ghana, Africa’s largest gold producer, has been going through what some analysts described as the worst economic crisis in a generation. Inflation, the national debt, the cost of living and unemployment have all recently risen. Environmental damage caused by illegal mining has triggered widespread youth protests.

The choice for the job of rebuilding the ravaged economy is between candidates from the two political parties that, since multiparty politics resumed in 1992, have each ruled Ghana for 16 years: the ruling New Patriotic Party (N.P.P.) and the main opposition party, the National Democratic Congress (N.D.C.).

A 66-year-old former president, John Dramani Mahama of the N.D.C., is hoping to make a comeback eight years after he was voted out. His main rival, Mahamudu Bawumia, 61, is keen to test out his own ideas after eight years in President Akufo-Addo’s shadow.