Mahama To Speak On “Transparent And Ethical Financing Of Political Campaigns”
Former President John Dramani Mahama is scheduled to address the country on transparent and ethical financing of political campaigns in the country.
It will be held at the University of Professional Studies, Accra (UPSA) today, March 22, 2023.
The event will take place at 6 pm at the UPSA auditorium.
Announcing this on his Facebook page, he said, “I look forward to this evening’s engagement at the UPSA on transparent and ethical financing of political campaigns, ahead of the 2024 elections.”
The source of funding for political campaigns is an outstanding concern for stakeholders in the country.
A report by the Westminster Foundation for Democracy on the Cost of Politics in Ghana showed that the cost of running for political office increased by 59% between 2012 and 2016.
It factored the cost of winning party primaries, winning parliamentary elections and term in office as an MP.
“During the party primaries candidates seek to respond to the demands of community interest groups whilst, during the parliamentary poll, these groups are ignored in favour of party officials, foot-soldiers and needy individuals. For those who successfully win a seat as an MP, those dynamics change again. What is consistent is the expectations of citizens that elected officials, or those seeking elected office, are the ones to provide for them. This can be through cash payments, lobbying for constituency projects in parliament and by “in-kind” rewards.”
According to the report, on average, candidates needed to raise GH₵389,803 to secure the party primary nomination and compete in the parliamentary election in their constituency in 2016.
It further found that the cost of doing politics was rising and feared that may breed corruption.
“If the cost of politics rises to unaffordable levels the danger is that politics becomes the domain of the elite and wealthy and that the motivation and incentives of MPs move from serving the public to recovering their own investment.”
Concerns were raised by the Member of Parliament for Suame Constituency and the Majority leader in Parliament right after the 2020 elections at a forum with political party leadership, Civil society groups and academic Society organisations.
The MP who called for state funding of political campaigns decried the excessive monetisation of the country’s politics which he said is destroying the nurturing democracy.
He reportedly said between $120,000 and $240,000 was required for one to become an MP in the 2020 election.
At the engagement today at UPSA, Mr Mahama will launch his campaign fundraising platform “to illustrate how politicians generally and political parties can broaden and make more transparent” their sources of financing.
Source: opemsuo.com/Hajara Fuseini
