The Director of Training at the Electoral Commission (EC) of Ghana, Dr. Serebour Quaicoo, has revealed that Akua Donkor, leader of the Ghana Freedom Party, once suggested a significantly higher filing fee for presidential candidates.
During an Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting in 2020, Dr. Quaicoo revealed on Bernard Lav’s Atinka TV morning show, Ghana Nie, that Akua Donkor proposed a filing fee of 1 million Ghana Cedis, ten times higher than the current fee.
This disclosure follows the latest conversations around the filing fees for the upcoming elections.
The EC has set the fee for presidential aspirants at 100,000 Ghana Cedis and 10,000 Ghana Cedis for parliamentary candidates. While some political stakeholders, including Kwame Bediako, Leader and Founder of The New Force, have expressed concerns that the fees are too high, Dr. Quaicoo’s revelation highlights that the current amount is relatively modest compared to what could have been.
When asked by Bernard Lav if the 100,000 Ghana Cedis fee is too burdensome for presidential aspirants, Dr. Quaicoo recounted the 2020 IPAC meeting, saying, “It will shock you that in 2020, Akua Donkor suggested that we pin it at 1 million Ghana Cedis.”
His comment underscores the balance the EC has tried to strike in setting the fees, aiming to ensure the process is accessible while maintaining the seriousness of the candidates.
Responding to Kwame Bediako’s concerns, Dr. Quaicoo also light-heartedly pointed out that candidates like Bediako, who have invested in extensive campaign materials such as billboards, should not find the filing fee to be a significant burden.
“When you drive around in town, don’t you see the expensive billboards he has mounted? Are they not expensive?” he remarked. Dr. Quaicoo further reassured the public that the EC is adhering to the legal framework governing elections.
He reminded candidates that the law allows filing fees to be refunded to those who secure a significant portion of the vote—25% for presidential candidates and 12.5% for parliamentary candidates. As the election process unfolds, the EC continues to emphasize transparency and legal compliance while engaging with concerns from all political stakeholders.
Ghana | Atinkaonline.com | Ebenezer Madugu
