Journalist demands audited accounts of NDC, NPP from EC

A private citizen and broadcast journalist Nana Kwadwo Jantuah has written to the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) to demand the audited accounts of the two biggest political parties in the country, the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the main opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC).

Mr Jantuah wrote to the EC through his lawyer, Nana Agyeman Osborn of Osborn Legals.

In the letter to the EC, Mr Jantuah is demanding “accounts of the two major political parties pursuant to the Political Parties Act 2000 (Act 574) which mandates all political parties to file with the Commission within six months from 31 December of each year, the following documents: a return in the form specified by the Commission indicating: the state of its accounts, the sources of its funds, membership dues paid, contributions or donations in cash or kind, the properties of the party and time of acquisition, such other particulars as the Commission may reasonably require and audited accounts of the party for the year.”

The letter also stated that, according to the Political Parties Act 2000, “Any person may, on payment of a fee determined by the Commission, inspect or obtain copies of the returns and audited accounts of a political party filed with the Commission under this section.”

The letter further added that: “We, respectfully, on the above authority, apply to inspect and also make copies of the state of accounts, sources of funds, sources of membership dues paid, sources of properties and time of acquisition and the audited accounts of the New Patriotic Party and the National Democratic Congress as from the year 2016 to date at the soonest possible time.”

Mr Jantuah had earlier petitioned CHRAJ to probe alleged corrupt practices at Produce Buying Company (PBC).