Democracy is more than a ballot box
Depending on the state and democratic dispensation, election visits in the third, fourth, or fifth years after governments are shifted or maintained. These are the moments where expectations are high everyone believes lives and fortunes will turn around as new administration takes over. However, the question is – what happened to the previous years in power and what after the election’s visit?
During this era, political parties start to initiate developmental projects, make huge promises, overspend their budgets and even borrow to fund their way into power with these phenomenon filtering into our local government elections through bipartisan influences.
According to a report by Westminster Foundation for Democracy on “The Cost of Politics in Ghana”, it is estimated that a candidate needs to raise an average of Gh¢389,803.00 approximately $85,000.00 to secure the party’s primary nomination and compete in the parliamentary election in their respective constituencies. Thus, an increment of 59% in the 2016 elections compared to the 2012 elections. The drivers for these expenditures include; campaigns, payment of party workers, media and advertisement, and donations. Respective expenditures in these areas comparing 2012 and 2016 elections include; Gh¢11,855.00 and Gh¢21,148.00 spent on Media / Advertisement, Gh¢26,741.00 and Gh¢38,393.00 spent on Donations, Gh¢40,702.00 and Gh¢59,812.00 spent on Campaigns, and lastly Gh¢42,310.00 and Gh¢34,781.00 spent on Party workers.
Ahead of Ghana’s election visit on 7th December 2020, already some amount of money has flowed into the pockets of some delegates during their political primaries. However, It is interesting to note that, the monies spent upon ‘election’s visit’ are creatively retrieved at the detriment of sustainable national developments when the “watchdogs” are asleep or “distracted with bones”. Thus, giving to the citizenry with the right hand and taking back with the left hand – one of the major causes of corruption in the country. Are the gods to blame? No, the gods are not to blame! says Ola Rotimi. Continue Here
