Investigate source of funding for political parties – Lecturer

A Political Science lecturer at the University of Ghana, Dr. Hassan Wahab, has called for an investigation into the funding of political parties in Ghana.

According to Dr. Wahab, there is the need to check the source of funding as he believes that a legal provision prohibiting foreign businesses from investing in political parties is being flouted.

Dr. Wahab made these assertions during a corruption dialogue at the University of Ghana on Wednesday, April 18, 2018.

“Do we know how our political parties are funded? We have a provision, we have a law in this country that says that if you are not a citizen, you cannot contribute to a political party. If it is a business, and it is not owned by at least 75% Ghanaian, you cannot contribute. Do we check where our political parties get their money?” he questioned.

Dr. Wahab urged Ghanaians to put the various political parties under their radar if they want to fight corruption in the country because businesses invest into political parties in the bid to manipulate them when they assume office.

“If we want to fight corruption, we need to make sure that we pay attention to the people who fund political parties. They don’t just give you money because they love you. They don’t give you money because they like you. They don’t give you money because they always share the ideology with you. Often they give money to gain access. So if it’s not a Ghanaian business or a Ghanaian citizen and this person says he will give a million dollars to run for MP, and after you get the one million dollars and you become the MP, maybe they make you the Minister for Land and Natural Resources and this man comes and says ‘you know, I hear that area has a lot of diamonds, can I have a concession?’ Can you say no?” he questioned.

Dr. Hassan Wahab recommended an increase in civic education in order to arm the “ignorant” citizens with the necessary information to hold corrupt officials accountable.