The Ashanti regional Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) has responded to calls by some members of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) that the filing fee for this years’ Presidential forms as announced by the Electoral Commission of Ghana (EC) is too high.
Mr. Bernard Antwi-Boasiako also known as Chairman Wontumi, explained that the new price as announced by the EC was a fair price to be paid by all political parties.
He noted on the Wontumi Morning Show that the GHC 100,000 to be paid by all Presidential candidates was a drop in the ocean when compared to the GHC 400,000 the NDC as a political party charged aspirants for their internal elections in 2018.
The Deputy General Secretary of the NDC, Peter Boamah Otokunor , has said that the decision by the EC to increase presidential filing fees for the 2020 general election to GHC100,000 is disappointing and a deliberate attempt to exclude some people from contesting.
According to him, “It is rather disappointing that rather the Electoral Commission is not being sensitive to the very institution they are leading. This is a clear indication to exclude some people from contesting,”
But Chairman Wontumi contends that it was ironical for a party that charged GHC400,000 for an internal contest would complain about GHC100,000 which the EC is now charging to ensure it conducts a free and fair election.
The electoral Commission in a press briefing earlier on Monday stated that presidential candidates for this year’s elections are required to pay GH¢100,000 as filing fees to enable them to qualify to take part in the elections. Parliamentary candidates are also required to pay GH¢10000 which saw no increment.
The EC Chair Madam Jean Mensa also announced that filing of nomination forms begin on Monday, October 5 to Friday, October 9.
The nomination forms will be available on the EC’s website from 6:00 pm Monday while candidate accesses the form with a unique password, the EC added.
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