CenPOA slams NPP over GH¢4.6m presidential primaries fee

The Executive Director of the Centre for Public Opinion and Awareness (CenPOA), Michael Donyina Mensah, has strongly criticised the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) decision to charge its aspiring presidential candidates a total of GH¢4.6 million to contest in the party’s internal elections.

In an interview on Rainbow Radio 87.5FM’s Frontline, hosted by Kwabena Agyapong, Mensah described the fees as not only shocking but also a significant threat to democratic principles and a clear example of the monetisation of elections.

“It is disheartening that while we are actively trying to combat the pervasive issues of corruption and theft within our political systems, a major political party would make such an exorbitant demand of its aspirants,” he stated.

“With a move like this, we should abandon any hope of eradicating corruption from our political landscape.”

The NPP’s announced fee structure requires each aspiring candidate to pay a non-refundable nomination fee of GH¢100,000, a filing fee of GH¢500,000 and a development fee of GH¢4 million, bringing the total to GH¢4.6 million.

The high cost has drawn criticism from several quarters, including some of the aspirants themselves.

Kennedy Agyapong, a presidential hopeful, has publicly expressed his concerns and vowed to address the issue if elected as the party’s candidate.

Another contender, Francis Addai-Nimoh, withdrew from the race, citing the monetisation of the contest as his primary reason.

Additionally, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong formally requested an explanation from the party regarding the fees.

However, the NPP has remained firm in its stance, warning that those who fail to pay the required amount will be disqualified from the race.

Mensah condemned the party’s decision, questioning the justification for what he described as a “ridiculous” charge.

“When I first heard about this ridiculous amount, I immediately condemned it,” he said. “This is a setback because we are trying to uproot corruption and thievery from our political system, but what the NPP has done only encourages these problems.

"The amount charged by the NPP breeds corruption, and we must condemn it. It is an unhealthy and politically unwise decision that shows we are not prepared to address these cancerous issues.”