The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has expressed concern over the soaring cost of political campaigns, cautioning that democracy risks being dominated by money rather than merit.
In an interview on Happy 98.9FM’s Epa Hoa Daben show with Bismark Brown (BB), Mr. William Nyarko, Executive Director of the Africa Centre for International Law and Accountability (ACILA) and Consultant to CDD-Ghana on campaign financing, revealed that mounting a successful presidential campaign in Ghana now requires an estimated $200 million.
“It now takes close to $200 million to run a successful presidential campaign in Ghana. This makes our democracy vulnerable to capture by the wealthy elite,” Mr. Nyarko revealed.
He further disclosed that aspiring Members of Parliament (MPs) also face huge financial hurdles, with campaign expenses averaging around GHS 4 million per constituency. According to him, some candidates spend even more, particularly on delegate mobilization, making the true cost potentially higher.
“An individual who wants to contest as a Member of Parliament needs about GHS 4 million for a constituency campaign. Some spend even more when you consider the cost of winning over delegates,” he noted.
Mr. Nyarko warned that such excessive financial demands effectively lock out qualified but less wealthy individuals, discouraging youth, women, and persons with disabilities from participating in politics.
He warned that if political office becomes the preserve of only the rich, then the country’s democracy is in danger.
