President speaks of funding for political parties

Accra, Nov 13, GNA - President John Agyekum Kufuor said though he supported the public funding for political parties, there was need to find a realistic formula for doing that.

He said there was the need to distinguish between serious political parties that needed support and mere adventurers who would like to take advantage of the system.

President Kufuor made the remarks when he received the Secretary-General of the International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance (IDEA), Mr Vidar Helgesen at the Castle, Osu. The International Institute for Democracy and Electoral Assistance is an intergovernmental organisation with 24 member-states from six continents, which promotes sustainable democracy worldwide.

President Kufuor said multi-party democracy is an expensive form of government but it was also the best. He however, added that the system risked being hijacked if it was left entirely in the hands of private interests for funding. He said, "if the public agrees that multi-party democracy is the best, then the public should be willing to bank roll it." 13 Nov. 07