Is NPP turning to be a party for the rich?

According to General News of Wednesday, 20 June 2007, Daily Guide newspaper has been reliably informed that the Finance Committee of the NPP has suggested that each aspirant should be made to cough up ¢650 million in order to raise money for the party\'s war chest. What!! This is over $70,000???? Ghanaian politicians must be filthy rich.

This figure represents 150 million cedis more that what Mr. Appiah Menkah had earlier suggested presidential hopefuls of the party should be made to pay ¢500 million as filing fees which was even considered abnormal.

According to the report, the committee that came out with this figure, chaired by Collins Yaw Adu-Gyamfi, concluded that the aspirants should be made to fund part of the party\'s campaign for the 2008 elections. The report went on to say that “with about 20 aspirants lining up to take over from President John Agyekum Kufuor, the NPP is expected to rake in some ¢13 billion before the congress scheduled for December at the campus of the University of Ghana, Legon.” So why should NPP feed fat on their candidates? IS NPP TURNING TO BE THE PARTY FOR THE RICH AND FAMOUS? An enquiring mind wants to know.

It must be recalled that following the news that candidates be made to pay ¢500 million as filing fees some party members took Mr Appiah Menkah on, saying that “the outrageous amount would allow moneybags to hijack the party.” The NPP, they argued “was not for the highest bidder”. It must also be recalled that in their reaction the NPP headquarters quickly diffused the ensuing tensions by indicating that aspirants would not pay more than ¢200 million.

Let’s examine the break down of the 650 million cedis (a whooping $70,000????).

The breakdown of the fee shows that application form is pegged at ¢20 million (almost $2,200), with the actual filing fee for prospective candidate fixed at ¢200 million (around $22,000).The presidential hopeful must, according to the Finance Committee, be nominated by a card-bearing member from each of the 10 regions of the country at the cost of ¢20 million each, bringing the regional support to ¢200 million for each aspirant. Additionally, each aspirant must be seconded in each of the 230 constituencies at a fee of ¢1 million each. This puts the constituency contributions to ¢230 million for each aspirant, bringing the entire figure for each presidential hopeful to ¢650 million.

It may be argued that only those of the establishment who have had the chance in giving favors to supporters can raise this money from the said regions leaving the new comers or those who have not held any ministerial appointments having to cough the other 450 million cedis. Is this a fair game?

I think it is a shame that an incumbent party that has been in office for over 6 years would only budget on incomes from candidates who would seek the party’s mandate. It is pathetic that the party had no alternative plan in raising revenue all these six plus years. My concern however is not with the amount to be paid but the consequences thereof after the candidate is so chosen.

Apparently one can speculate that all things being equal, each and every one of these hopefuls would get a ministerial post if even he does not win the nominations. So how do you expect such a person who has lost 650 million cedis to manage a public office? If we can argue that it was only sensible to see it as an investment then get ready for REAL CORRUPTION. We can also predict that such an investor would do everything to recoup this amount plus profits in less than a year. Ghana’s oil prospect is already in crisis; right (laugh)?

According to Daily Guide newspaper of Wednesday, 20 June 2007, attempts to seek the opinion of the party chairman, Mr. Mac Manu on the new proposal were unsuccessful as he was said to be held up in a series of meetings. “According to the Finance Committee, if the proposal was adopted, it would provide immediate cash for the party\'s operations, especially in the run-up to the December congress” (GNA). Is it a strategy to pursue their objective of making cheap money for the party? Or is he also avoiding the issue, thinking that as usual Ghanaian Press will forget about it?

Would it not be beneficial to the party if they organized debates for the primaries and charge gate fee plus sell the rights to a TV station and radio stations instead of putting the entire burden on these individuals? I am sure by the end of 3 debates-one each in Accra, Kumasi and another favorable location, NPP could raise a billion cedis or more. Thereby making the candidates only foot less. To do this will not only cut down the burden on the candidates and reduce corruption in the next administration but also provide civic education to delegates and the nation as a whole. A debate would provides education on civil affair- over the economy, education, Medicare and tax, and offer incumbents a chance to not only straighten their records but also display their achievements-

A debate in choosing a flagbearer for a party has never been so necessary and warranted than for the pageant of the NPP aspiring presidential candidates today. Though we have hear little from many of them in terms of what direction they intend to lead the party and the nation when elected, each team’s supporters claim their candidate has the answers to Ghana’s problems. Interestingly even those who have not delivered much are being accorded several heroic titles like Messiah and so forth. Why don’t we be fair to all by giving the candidates the chance to debate themselves and display their own record of achievements?