Explain decision into GH¢100k filing fees – Seidu Alidu to EC

A Political Science Lecturer at the University of Ghana, Seidu Alidu, is urging the Electoral Commission, Ghana (EC) to give a breakdown of the GH¢100,000 filing fee for the presidential elections.

According to him, the elections management body cannot justify their 100 per cent increase in the fees.

In an interview with Alfred Ocansey on the Sunrise morning show on 3FM Tuesday, September 15, Dr Alidu stated: “I know inflation and other things may reduce the value of money. I agree but what goes into GH¢100,000? I know the EC has been given a budget to run the election.”

“So if you are charging political parties a GH¢100,000. What are the components? When you give a breakdown, they know that from this amount of money I’m getting this and that,” he said.

He added: “We have been talking about monetization of our politics and the effects it has on our overall governance process, elite capture, corporate capture, and all the other captures that comes when political parties are financed to win elections.”

“All those things start from here. How much money you pay as filing fees and how much you use to campaign all put pressure on the political parties when they win power to be able to appease all those who helped them win power.

“So, setting an astronomic price doesn’t help kill the issue of monetization. The prices kind of push the small parties who are capable out of the race.”

On Monday, September 14, the EC at a press conference announced that presidential candidates will pay GH¢100,000 filing fees whereas parliamentary candidates are required to pay GH¢10,000.

Justifying the increase, Dr Asare Bossman, a Deputy Chair of the EC, stated that inflation and other factors were responsible for the increase.

In 2015, the filing fees for presidential candidates was GH¢50,000.