Why the Electoral Commission of Ghana increased filing fees by 100 percent explained
- The Electoral Commission chair, Jean Adukwei Mensa, announced that the presidential candidates are expected to pay GH¢100,000 as filing fees with respect to the 2020 elections.
- The amount has astronomically shot up from the GH¢50,000 the candidates paid four years ago
- Some presidential aspirants do not agree with the directive from the EC
- The Electoral Commission has however given the reason for the increase in filing fees
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Have you ever wondered why the Electoral Commission of Ghana has astronomically increased their filing fees by a whopping 100 percent?
Well, it seems that our democracy in Ghana has become expensive and each election year comes with its own figure quoted for candidates wanting to stand for an election in Ghana.
Yesterday, September 14, 2020, the Electoral Commission of Ghana held a presser to announce the date when candidates would submit their nomination forms as well as the money to be paid.
Interestingly, and to the surprise of many Ghanaians, especially some presidential aspirants, the amount had astronomically shot up from the GH¢50,000 they paid four years ago.
As announced by the commission's chair, Jean Adukwei Mensa, presidential candidates are expected to pay GH¢100,000.00 each. The amount is a 100 percent increase, compared to what was paid four years ago.
Source: Original
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Presidential candidate for the All People's Congress(APC), Hassan Ayariga, registered his displeasure with regard to the amount quoted by the EC, saying it is quite outrageous.
According to him, the filing fees announced by the EC is too much and even costs more than the monthly salary attached to the position he and a host of others are vying for.
Another presidential aspirant, Jacob Osei Yeboah(JOY), who is an independent candidate, also registered his displeasure about the figure quoted by the EC.
Speaking in an interview monitored by YEN.com.gh, JOY said the Commission should have considered the fact that COVID-19 had made it hard for money to come by.
Explaining the astronomical increment in the filing fees for the presidential aspirants, the EC said the nomination fees have been increased as a result of the adjustment done every four years.
In a news report filed by Primenewsghana, the EC said the value of GH¢50,000 in 2016, cannot be compared in 2020.
It went on to say that comparing the value of the amount quoted, it would be noticed that the commission hasn't increased it that much.
"Those of you who know the value of money know that in each particular year, it’s important that you look at the value of ¢50,000 in 2016 and compare to GH¢50,000 in 2020. You’ll notice that the commission hasn’t increased it that much," the EC noted
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In other news, the PPP has chosen and outdoored Madam Bridgitte Dogbenuku as the party’s flagbearer on Saturday, September 12, 2020.
She was the running mate of Dr. Papa Kwesi Ndoum in the 2016 elections.
Accepting her new role at the congress over the weekend, Madam Dogbenuku said the PPP is ready to wrestle power from the NPP in December.
READ ALSO: Filing fees: Presidential aspirants to pay 100k, parliamentary aspirants pay 10k
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Source: YEN.com.gh
