General News of Friday, 3 November 2023

Source: starrfm.com.gh

NPP polls: Monetary inducement in politics worrying – Asah Asante

A file photo A file photo

A political science lecturer at the University of Ghana Legon, Dr. Asah Asante has stated that monetary inducement in Ghana’s body politics has become a cause for worry.

Before the high-stakes election, the camps of the two leading contenders, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia who is vying to lead the party to the 2024 general election, and the Assin Central Member of Parliament, Kennedy Agyapong have been trading allegations.

There have been issues of vote buying ahead of the presidential primaries of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP).

Speaking on the Morning Starr with Francis Abban, the political science lecturer stated: “In a democracy, our leaders’ decisions they take, the ideas they draw out if we listen to them and we are satisfied we go with that and we go ahead and vote them into office. We only get there and we are given transport or we demand transport intended for that purpose".

“For me, it is worrying development, for me that is something we are not doing right. So people have developed this thing to a higher level that whoever is able to give more you have more people attending to you. Because obviously, everybody needs money in this state".

“But if there is somebody who will give you more, why would you want to waste your time on another who will give you less? So that is what is happening," he added.

Dr. Asante further stated that the sharing of money to delegates in the upcoming NPP presidential primaries is across board and not by any particular candidate.