EC to publish assessment report on political parties

The Electoral Commission (EC) on Thursday said the report on assessment of political parties conducted in July 2000 is ready for publication.

The nationwide assessment of political parties was to ensure that their operations are in conformity with constitutional provisions and the Political Parties Law (Act 574).

A source at the EC who announced this in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra said the report was delayed because of the pressure on the commission for the December 2000 elections and the impact it would have had on the electoral process.

The report covers the national, regional, district and constituency operations of the political parties.

The Political Parties Law, among other things, states that all political parties shall establish branches in all the regions and, in addition, organise in not less than two-thirds of the districts in each region.

A checklist for the assessment includes the declaration of assets, which includes the nature of office facility, date and mode of acquisition, the number of rooms and office equipment.

The parties were also to disclose the type of furniture in use, payment of the salaries of party office permanent staff, utility bills and other party expenditures.

The commission's assessment list also requires the political parties to declare the contributions by citizens in the form of dues and donations in cash and kind.

The EC source said that the parties were to provide the particulars of their national, regional and district officers.

The EC requires their names and voter ID card numbers, residential addresses and the name and address of the auditor of the party.

The source said without any prejudice, the Commission might cancel a party's registration if it refuses or neglects to comply with the provision or submits a declaration that is false in any material.

There are 10 registered political parties including the National Democratic Congress (NDC), the New Patriotic Party (NPP), the Convention People's Party (CPP), the Democratic Peoples Party (DPP) and EGLE Party.

The others are People's National Convention (PNC), Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), United Ghana Movement (UGM), Ghana Democratic Republican Party (GDRP), and the National Reform Party (NRP).

The source said that as reflected in the December general election only seven were able to field presidential candidates while the DPP and EGLE were in an alliance. The GDRP failed to contest both the presidential and parliamentary elections.

The source indicated that some parties have changed their office locations and postal addresses without notifying the Commission in contravention of the Political Parties Law.

A GNA investigation last year showed that some parties organised only in the media. Their district and regional branches were dormant and they had no constituency offices.

Some of these offices were, however, activated during the elections.