The Ghana Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has called on the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to investigate the sources of monies allegedly distributed by public officeholders to voters, emphasizing the need to curb corruption-related offenses within the electoral process.
Dr. Kojo Pumpuni Asante, the Director of Advocacy and Policy Engagement at CDD-Ghana, endorsed the OSP's decision to probe public officers accused of “sharing monies” to influence voters.
He expressed concern about the monetization of Ghana's electoral process and emphasized the importance of investigating the sources of the funds involved.
“It is not just about the money that they are sharing and the corruption. It is about where they get the money. As an OSP, he is also within his mandate to ensure that politically exposed persons are not using their positions of power for private gains,” Dr. Asante stated in an interview with the Ghana News Agency.
This appeal comes after the OSP arrests Mr. Kofi Ofosu Nkansah, the Chief Executive of the National Entrepreneurship and Innovation Programme, on charges of distributing money to delegates ahead of the New Patriotic Party's parliamentary primary in the Asante Akyem Central constituency.
Dr. Asante emphasized the urgency of addressing the issue, stating, “I endorse the OSP's effort in tackling and prioritizing the issue because it is an existential threat, and it must be dealt with aggressively.”
In a related development, the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) expressed concern over the increasing culture of monetization in politics as Ghana approaches the 2024 General Election.
Ms. Kathleen Addy, the Chairperson of NCCE, described vote-buying as an existential threat to Ghana's democracy and urged a collective commitment to end the practice.
“We are at a point where a major criterion for getting elected to public office is the candidates' ability to dole out cash to voters. It is time to own up to this terrible practice and commit to ending it.
If we do not end it, it will end us,” Ms. Addy warned during a news conference to mark Constitution Day.
