A policy expert has blamed Ghana’s Fourth Republic political system for the skyrocketing cost of election financing, saying the growing practice of delegates demanding cash before voting is a direct consequence of how politicians have conducted campaigns over the years.

Making an assertion during a zoom meeting on Kessben TV’s Digest show Dr. Peter Tekpeh said the increasing monetization of politics did not happen overnight but is the result of a long-standing culture of inducement by political aspirants seeking power.

Speaking on the issue of election financing, he stressed that every problem has a root cause.
“Every incident has its root cause. The political framework in our country has been different since the Fourth Republic,” he said.
According to Dr. Tekpeh, many parliamentary hopefuls have, over the years, made huge promises and offered financial incentives to delegates to secure their votes during party primaries.
“People give huge promises to pave their way to Parliament. They induce the delegates to vote for them and that has been the trend, hence the demand for money before they vote,” he explained.

He noted that delegates have now become skeptical because many elected MPs fail to honour the promises they make during campaigns.
“The delegates also realized that the MPs most often are not able to fulfill those earlier promises,” he stated.
Dr. Tekpeh argued that meaningful reforms must begin with lawmakers themselves if Ghana is to curb the growing commercialization of politics.
“If we want to sanitize the system, the parliamentarians must now sit up and reverse the situation,” he urged.

His comments come at a time when concerns over the rising cost of political campaigns continue to dominate national discussions ahead of political party primaries and future general elections, with many stakeholders calling for stronger campaign finance reforms to protect Ghana’s democracy.

Dr. Jonathan Asante Okyere has expressed concern over the growing commercialization of Ghana’s electoral process, warning that the increasing cost of internal party elections and the open display of vote-buying threaten the country’s democratic values.

Speaking on the issue via a zoom meeting on Kessben TV’s Digest show, the academician noted that contesting internal party elections can cost candidates as much as GH¢5 million, largely due to logistics, publicity, campaign staffing, hotel accommodation, and other operational expenses.
He explained that Members of Parliament often face daily demands from constituents, making it difficult to separate constituency responsibilities from campaign activities.
He also noted that campaign costs vary across regions, with some areas requiring significantly higher expenditure to remain competitive.

According to him, candidates are often pressured to make promises because their opponents are doing the same, even when some of those promises may be unrealistic or difficult to fulfill.
The political scientist further observed that politicians sometimes undertake strategic infrastructure projects ahead of elections to convince voters of what they intend to deliver if elected into office.

He added that campaign spending differs depending on the type of election, explaining that promises and expenditure are generally higher during party primaries in political strongholds, while swing regions often attract greater spending during general elections.

Addressing the issue of vote-buying, he stressed that giving money to influence how people vote is illegal and urged political parties to take decisive action against the practice.
“What is becoming dangerous is the boldness with which delegates openly display their illegal inducement,” he warned, describing the trend as a serious threat to the credibility and integrity of Ghana’s democratic process.

The member of Parliament for Amanfi East, Nicholas Amankwah, has criticised the New Patriotic Party (NPP) over its reaction to the arrest of Dennis Miracles Aboagye, describing the party’s response as hypocritical.

According to the statement, public officials and political office holders must be prepared to account for their stewardship whenever allegations arise, rather than resorting to partisan pressure on investigative institutions. In a discussion on Kessben Maakye show in Accra,
The lawmaker questioned why some NPP members, who had previously maintained that anyone who violates the law should be prosecuted, are now condemning the arrest of Miracles Aboagye.
The statement further argued that if there are legitimate grounds for an investigation, due process should be allowed to take its course without political interference.

He also urged supporters to focus on helping investigators unravel the truth behind the alleged GH¢55 million loss instead of gathering at the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to demand Miracles Aboagye’s release.
The legislature further defended the credentials of EOCO Chief Executive Raymond Archer, insisting that his professional background and educational record should not be subjected to personal attacks.

Drawing comparisons with previous high-profile arrests, Hon. Amankwaa argued that Aboagye is not more popular and recognized than several prominent personalities like lawyer Tsatsu Tsikata and the late Victor Salomey who were arrested in a church in the past .

Hon. Amankwaa reiterated that, Aboagye was being investigated for misappropriation of ghc 55 million so NPP should not imply that nobody should be arrested for alleged wrong doing.

He concluded with a call for accountability, stressing that anyone entrusted with public office must be ready to answer for their actions and should not hide behind party politics when questions are raised over the management of public resources.

By Maurice Otoo