CDD-Ghana intensifies efforts to regulate political party financing

The Director of Programmes and Operations at CDD-Ghana Mr. Frederick Adu-Gyamfi, has raised concerns about the growing monetisation of Ghanaian politics, which could weaken democratic institutions and create opportunities for wealthy individuals with dubious interests to gain control over the state.

He said the political system should promote people with good ideas, character and a commitment to public service, rather than create a situation where those with the “deepest pockets wield the greatest influence.”

Mr Adu-Gyamfi said this when he addressed a media workshop in Tamale on regulating political party financing in Ghana, organised by the Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) on Thursday.

The workshop formed part of CDD-Ghana’s efforts to generate public support for a Draft Model Political Finance Law developed with support from the British High Commission.

The proposed legislation seeks to strengthen transparency and accountability in political financing while addressing gaps in Ghana’s existing framework for regulating party and campaign funding.

Mr Adu-Gyamfi said the media had a responsibility to look beyond the public activities of political parties and investigate the financial interests behind political campaigns.

Mr Adu-Gyamfi indicated that evidence from recent studies showed that campaign expenditure had increased sharply over successive electoral cycles.

He said the growing monetisation of politics created barriers to entry for capable but less-resourced citizens, while fuelling opacity, weakening accountability and increasing the risk of corruption.

Although Article 55 of the 1992 Constitution and the Political Parties Act, 2000, provide a basis for regulating political financing, he said gaps in enforcement, disclosure requirements, donation limits and expenditure ceilings had limited their effectiveness.

Those gaps, he noted, had created opportunities for unreported and potentially illicit funds to influence political processes and undermine public trust in elections.

Mr Adu-Gyamfi said CDD-Ghana had engaged political parties, civil society organisations, the private sector, university students, youth groups and other stakeholders across the country to solicit inputs and build broad support for the proposed reforms.

He said the media workshop was intended to equip journalists with a better understanding of the state of political party and campaign financing, key challenges and gaps in the existing legal and regulatory framework.

He urged journalists to ask who was funding candidates and political parties, how much was being spent, and what expectations or influence might accompany such financial support.

In his part Prof Eliasu Mumuni, a Senior Lecturer at the University for Development Studies (UDS), also encouraged journalists to deepen their research on national issues so they can better explain complex topics to ordinary Ghanaians.

He urged the media practitioners to make use of laws such as the Right to Information Act to obtain details on political spending. especially during election seasons when campaign expenditure peaks.

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