EOCO Urged to Probe NPP Presidential Aspirants Over GH¢4 Million Development Levy
- The CDD-Ghana has called on the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to probe the source of funds of the NPP flagbearer hopefuls
- This comes after the leadership of the NPP demanded that each of the presidential hopefuls pay a GH¢4 million party development levy
- The NPP will be heading to the polls on January 31, 2026, to elect a new presidential candidate to face off with the NDC in 2028
The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana), an independent, not-for-profit civil society group, has urged the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) to investigate the flagbearer aspirants in the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) regarding the source of their campaign funding.
The leadership of the NPP has imposed a GH¢4 million development levy on each of the presidential hopefuls, in addition to GH¢600,000 in filing fees that they are required to pay.
Source: Facebook
Kennedy Agyapong, a key contender in the NPP's forthcoming presidential primary and a former Member of Parliament for Assin Central, described the development levy as disgraceful.
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Speaking to party delegates on a campaign tour, Agyapong said he would pay the GH¢4 million development levy to help build the party despite his personal reservations.
"The party's welfare is important to me. We need to build this party. Can you imagine that the five contestants are being charged a GH¢4 million development fee each because the party hasn't got a penny?" he stated.
Reacting to this on Peace FM, CDD-Ghana raised concerns over the increasing monetisation of democracy in the country.
The civil society group consequently urged EOCO to probe each of the flagbearer aspirants on their sources of funding.
"CDD-Ghana urges EOCO to probe NPP presidential aspirants who paid GH¢4 million in addition to GH¢600,000 for filing fees," they reportedly said.
The NPP flagbearer race
The NPP flagbearer race is scheduled for Saturday, January 31, 2026.
Out of the many who initially expressed interest, only five have successfully filed their nominations.
The five aspirants are former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia; Kennedy Agyapong; former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwabena Agyei Agyapong; former Minister for Education and MP for Bosomtwi, Dr Yaw Osei Adutwum; and former Minister for Food and Agriculture and MP for Abetifi, Dr Bryan Acheampong.
Each of the five aspirants is expected to contribute GH¢4 million, raising a total of GH¢20 million to help rebuild the party ahead of the 2024 elections, following the heavy defeat it suffered at the hands of the ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the 2024 polls.
Read the Facebook post below:
CDD-Ghana's appeal to EOCO sparks mixed reactions
Ghanaians on social media have shared varied views on CDD-Ghana's appeal to EOCO to investigate NPP flagbearer aspirants.
YEN.com.gh compiled a few of the comments below:
@Abramani Billey said:
"When did that one start? So all the so-called think tanks are now at the beck and call of the party in power?"
@Sheikh Idrees also said:
"When people start losing their sense of reasoning, this is exactly what happens..... Kwasia Keka saaaaa."
@Ayisi Ashong commented:
"Yes, we as a nation must be worried about such an amount for a filling fee, meaning politics is being offered to the highest bidder, and this is dangerous for our democracy. And these excesses must be checked, and the sources of those monies must be a subject of investigation."
@Gbandan Johnson also commented:
"NPP as a political party are not willing to bring discipline into our politics, they operate as if there are no rules and regulations binding them. How can you make an internal contest this expensive and expect leaders not to loot when they finally get elected? Certain things are not just going well with leadership ethics."
Source: Facebook
Bawumia tipped to win NPP flagbearer race
Meanwhile, YEN.com.gh reported earlier that the Global InfoAnalytics tipped Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to win the NPP's flagbearer race with 52 per cent.
Kennedy Agyapong followed closely with 17 per cent, while Dr. Bryan Acheampong and Dr Yaw Adutwum trailed behind with three and one per cent respectively.
Proofreading by Samuel Gitonga, copy editor at YEN.com.gh.
Source: YEN.com.gh
