Star Ghana calls for independent audit unit to monitor income of political parties

Mr Francis Darko Asare, the Programmes Director of Star Ghana, has said it is incumbent on the citizenry to be assertive and demand accountability from politicians.

He said political parties determine the future of the nation hence the need for checks and balances to ensure that political office holders did not use state resources for their private gains.

Mr Asare was speaking at a days' validation forum on Ghana Political Parties Financing Policy in Takoradi.

The event was organized by Star Ghana and sponsored by Financial Accountability and Transparency (FAT,) Africa and attended by representatives from the Electoral Commission, political parties and other stakeholders in the political affairs of the country.

The forum formed the basis for FAT-Africa to hold series of stakeholder consultations to stimulate discussion and build consensus around a set of principles and proposals to guide advocacy for policy and legislative reforms in the financing of political parties in the country.

Mr Asare said the existing legal regime governing political parties was characterised by gaps, dangers and challenges which must be addressed. He called for an independent monitoring and audit unit to monitor regular sources of income expenditure of political parties.

"The existing state of political party campaign financing in the country calls for urgent action to inject order, discipline, limits, transparency and accountability in the regime of political campaign and financing". He said it remains critical to re-examine the traditional, public and other sources of funding political parties to ensure transparency and a level playing field.

Mr Asare said there is the need for a reasonable balance between private and public funding and a air criteria for distribution of resources to parties. He said the new regime must have a threshold which qualifies parties to access subsidies.