Hassan Ayariga Criticizes EC's Presidential Filing Fee for 2024 Elections
Ayariga argued that the filing fee is excessively high, especially given the current economic difficulties facing Ghanaians. "The economy is difficult in Ghana, and the salary of a Ghanaian citizen is less than GH¢10,000, while a minister of state's salary is less than GH¢15,000," he stated. Ayariga believes that such a steep fee is unreasonable and places an undue burden on candidates from smaller parties.
He further contended that the larger parties, such as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), are less affected by the high filing fee as they have previously been in power and, according to Ayariga, have embezzled funds. This, he argued, places smaller parties at a significant disadvantage in the electoral process.
The Electoral Commission has announced that nomination forms will be available on their website starting August 2, 2024. Presidential candidates will have until September 13 to submit their forms. In addition, parliamentary candidates are required to submit their forms in quadruplicate to the Returning Officer of the constituency they seek to represent.
Ayariga's criticism highlights broader concerns about the accessibility and fairness of the electoral process, especially for candidates from smaller parties and those without substantial financial backing. As the election approaches, these issues are likely to remain at the forefront of political discourse in Ghana.