The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has indicated that the determination of the filing fees ahead of the December 7 elections by the Electoral Commission (EC) is their prerogative.
The party which has no problem with the amounts being charged by the EC is hopeful its monies will be refunded after the elections.
Evans Nimako, the Director of Elections for the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) made this known in an interview with Happy 98.9 FM’s Samuel Eshun, host of the Happy Morning Show.
“The filing fee being charged by the EC is a refundable investment which we know we will get back after the December 7 elections.”
Explaining further, Evans noted that there is a law that requires the EC to refund filing fees to political parties and individuals contesting for elections when they surpass a vote threshold.
“The law says if you file for the presidency and Member of Parliament positions, you get back your money when you manage to poll 25 and 12.5 percent respectively of the total votes cast.”
He noted that the NPP is hopeful of getting its money back as the party will be victorious in the upcoming election.
When asked if the filing fees being charged by the EC was exorbitant, the NPP elections director motioned that the fee is not the commitment of the individual vying for the position but that of the party she belongs to.
“If u want to be President, you need to have a sizeable number of people supporting you. So your support base should help you come up with the money for the filing.”
He furthered that it is not new for the EC to increase filing fees and gave examples to that effect.
“In 2012, filing fees for presidential and parliamentary candiadtes were 10,000 and 1,000 cedis respectively. In 2016, the amount was increased to 50,000 cedis for presidential and 10,000 cedis for parliamentary candidates.”
But in 2020, the filing fee for presidential candidates is now 100,000 cedis and that for parliamentary candidates has been maintained at 10,000cedis and we all need to support the NPP and President Akufo-Addo,” he noted.
According to the NPP, all parties willing to contest in the 2020 general elections will pay the filing fees requested by the EC regardless of their complaints.
The EC announced the opening of nomination for both presidential and parliamentary aspirants yesterday. The filing of forms which will be an online process will cost Presidential candidates wishing to contest the 2020 general election 100,000 for filing while parliamentary candidates will pay ¢10,000.
By: Joel Sanco
