General News of Friday, 4 April 2003

Source:  

NPP Spent ?10bn On Navrongo By-election?

The New Patriotic Party (NPP) is said to have spent a whooping ?10 billion cedis on the recent by-election in the Navrongo Central constituency.

NDC General Secretary, Dr Josiah Aryeh alleged that the amount is the total estimation of the physical evidence of the NPP’s campaign towards the Navrongo by-election.

He however said the astronomic amount is not surprising to him because similar amounts were spent on previous by-elections. According to Dr Aryeh, the NPP used the money in providing electricity, telecommunication, building roads and a health post in the constituency during the campaign for the by-election.

The above evidence, he said covers the physical evidence and not the vote buying.

Meanwhile, Dr Aryeh disclosed that the NDC spent ?100 million during the Navrongo Central by-election. The amount was spent on fuelling the party’s vehicles at Navrongo and campaign activities.

Dr Aryeh said his party is making every effort to educate Ghanaians to vote on issues rather than money, adding that the NPP’s conduct is like throwing money against a problem.