Our sponsors don’t influence appointment of positions but-NDC, NPP Communicators

For the first time, communicators of the two big political parties-the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and National Democratic Congress (NDC) have strongly agreed and argued that their sponsors do not have influence on political appointments.

However, the communicators said the parties will also not hesitate to give appointments to sponsors who are qualified for certain positions in government.

This follows former President, John Dramani Mahama’s bid to raise funds for his campaign to contest the flagbearership race of the NDC.

The NDC fixed the filing fee for its presidential primary at GH¢500,000 while the parliamentary primary fee was pegged at GH¢40,000.

After filing his nomination forms on Tuesday, March 21,2023, Mr Mahama noted that he will launch his campaign fundraising platform to illustrate how politicians generally and political parties can broaden and make more transparent their sources of financing.

“I look forward to this evening’s engagement at the UPSA on transparent and ethical financing of political campaigns, ahead of the 2024 elections,” he wrote on his Facebook page.

Read Also: ‘Drivers who flout traffic rules should be hit with spot fines’

Speaking on Atinka TV’s morning show, Ghana Nie, Host of the show, Nana Yaw Fianko asked if the sponsors would not influence appointments when their parties win power.

He also questioned if the filing fee was not too much for the aspirants.
In response, a Deputy National Communications Officer for the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Mr. Godwin Ako Gunn, said the amount was a test of the candidates’ ability to mobilise funds to solve a problem or to make a change.

He said most of the time, people who believe in the candidate, have hope in him or her and expect change, are the ones who sponsor their campaigns.

Mr. Godwin Ako Gunn admitted that some people are corrupt such that they offer money and ask for favours in return, saying that with such persons, the candidate can ignore or reject their money.

However, he also said he sees nothing wrong allowing a sponsor to be nominated for a position in government.

“A corrupt person is a corrupt person regardless of their actions, and individuals who sponsor groups or political parties are not necessarily corrupt. “If, for instance, Tobinco sells pharmaceutical products and a new government comes in with a policy to reduce drug imports by 60 percent and produce locally, I would want to sponsor that group or political party so that when it comes to power my business will also grow, not because he wants to be corrupt or corrupt the system, but because he wants to finance the policy,” he explained.
NPP

For his part, the former New Juaben North Chairman for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Mr. Kojo Boateng, said, “Yes,  Ako Gunn said we raise funds from ordinary people, but I see nothing wrong if a billionaire decides to fund a certain political party in a genuine manner. For instance, if Tobinco believes in my agenda and philosophical ideas, thinking that it will help boom the businesses in Ghana, there is nothing wrong with him sponsoring my campaign.”

He added, “Apart from that, he is a businessman, if you are a contractor, you can do one kilometer of road, you have assisted me, and you are on the same scale as another individual for a position, so I do not understand why you say we awarded a position to a party member. If he has the same resources and qualifications as another individual and decides to assist me, do you believe I should give the position to the other individual because he is more attractive than the one who assisted me? because I do not wish for persons to converse? Tell me where it occurs in the world.”

Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori

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