NDC Members Grumble Over ?5m

There is simmering resentment over the charging of ?5 million as filing fees for candidates who wish to contest the 2004 parliamentary election on the NDC’s ticket. Reports say the party’s members in some of the constituencies in Ashanti are saying that the fee is too high vis-?-vis the fact that they are not sure of their chances of winning in an NPP dominated area.

Reached to comment or deny the allegation, Mr Sly Akakpovie told the “Daily Guide” that he has not received any official complaints from the candidates about the filing fees for the primaries, but what he knows is that some people who have filed to contest the next parliamentary elections on the NDC’s ticket are being subtly threatened and intimidated by their political opponents.

He explained that at the last National Executive Council (NEC) meeting at the NDC headquarters, there were various proposals for those filing for the party’s primaries to elect parliamentary candidates for the 2004 elections on the party’s ticket, to pay fees ranging from ?2million to ?10million. Eventually, the NEC agreed to ?5million as the filing fees at the parliamentary level.

According to Mr Akakpovie, when a candidate pays ?5 million, the constituency retains ?3 million. One million cedis will be retained at the regional level and the remaining ?1million sent to the national headquarters.

He conceded that running a political party is a huge cost, adding, “All we are doing is to share the cost amongst ourselves”.

Meanwhile, the Communications Director of the NPP, Kwadwo Afari has confirmed that his party also charged ?5 million as nomination fees for primaries to elect parliamentary candidates for the 2004 elections. According to him, there were no complaints about the filing fees from any of the people contesting the NPP’s primaries because the candidates have been paying filing fees since the party was formed.