Friday, 29 March

A PIECE OF MY MIND: A lack of proper mechanisms to check political party funding in Ghana: the bane of our politics

Feature Article
Benjamin Akakpo

We're in a political year. Like it or not, we shall come face to face with the raw politics. Wherever you go, it is politics this and politics that. One aspect of our politics that, to my mind, we have ignored for far too long, though, has to do with the financing of political parties. I ask: who qualifies to fund or sponsor a political party? What are the benchmarks? What disqualifies a person or entity from sponsoring a political party? What are the considerations involved?

With all the money streaming especially into our biggest political parties, it is little wonder that our politicians make execrable decisions more often than not and that corruption remains on the ascendancy in our country. The conscience of these political parties, from the very top to the very bottom, is compromised right from the start. When they assume the reins of power, they then have to repay and perform favours for their paymasters. The result? Horribly bad deals, senseless contracts, a massive raid of the public purse to placate those elements from whom loans were contracted to bankroll elections at different levels and, overall, huge losses to the state - to the ordinary Ghanaian taxpayer.

Elvis AfriyieAnkrah of the NDC captured it aptly when he said: "Our hands are tied." Indeed, tied hands imply an inability to act. But why are the hands of our politicians tied? Simple. Owing to the fact that they take money from many different people and entities that our laws do not support - and our systems are nothing close to being able to check and regulate them.

You see, yesterday I dug into my archives once more and picked up a story from many years ago. In that Daily Graphic report of Tuesday October 4, 1994, "A leading member of the New Patriotic Party (NPP). Mr. J.A. Kufuor, has called for an amendment to the political parties’ law to allow for funding of parties by business organisations. He said the inadequate provisions for funding under the law has rendered the parties, especially the opposition, financially bare and ineffective to organise any sustained programmes across the country." It also adds that the now-former-president said, "If the state is not ready to do this, then at least she must keep quiet on how the parties are funded."

I found these comments both revealing and troubling, you see. I believe there must be some parity in terms of funding for political parties. On the other hand, though, who gets to fund a political party has always been a tricky area owing to the complications it often comes with.

As it stands now, section 55 (15) of Ghana's 1992 constitution states that "Only a citizen of Ghana may make a contribution or donation to a political party registered in Ghana." a further expansion on the subject can be found in the Political Parties' Act, 2000, which, in section 14, speaks of the declaration of assets, liability and expenditure in relation to elections. There it states:

14. 1- a political party shall, within twenty–one days before the general elections,

Submit to the commission a statement of its assets and liabilities in such form as the

Commission may direct.

2- a political party shall within six months after a general or by-election in which it has participated, submit to the commission a detailed statement in such form as the

Commission may direct of all expenditure incurred for that election.

3- A statement required to be submitted under this section shall be supported by the

Statutory declaration made by the general or national secretary of the political party and

The national treasurer of that party.

 

I am, by this, merely trying to put matters into proper perspective on this subject so we can see the real need for applying the law to our political parties.

The act goes on, in section 21 which touches on the returns and accounts of political parties, to state that:

21. 1- A political party shall within six months from 31st December of each year, file with the commission.

 

A- A return in the form specified by the commission indicating

i- the state of its accounts

ii- the sources of its funds

iii-membership dues paid

iv- contributions or dominations in cash or kind

v-the properties of the party and time of acquisition

vi- such other particulars as the commission may reasonably require and,

 

B- audited accounts of party for the year.

 

Additionally, and perhaps even more crucial to this discussion, the thorny matter of the funding of political parties is also addressed by this act. With regard to

Contributions by citizens, it states that:

23. 1- only a citizen may contribute in cash or kind to the funds of a political party

2- a firm, partnership, or enterprise owned by a citizen or a company registered under the laws of the republic at least seventy-five percent of whose capital is owned by a citizen is for the purposes of this Act a citizen.

 

On the subject of no contributions by non-citizens, it is categorical when it says:

24. 1- a non-citizen shall not directly or indirectly make a contribution or donation or loan whether in cash or in kind to the funds held by or for the benefit of a political party and no political party or person acting for or on behalf of a political party shall demand or accept a contribution donation or loan from a non-citizen.

Contraventions of this part

25. 1- where any person contravenes section 23 or 24, in addition to any penalty that may be imposed under this act, any amount, whether in cash or in kind paid in contravention of the section shall be recovered from the political party as debt owed to the state. The political party or person in whose custody the amount is for the time being held shall pay it to the state.

2- A non-citizen found guilty of contravention of section 24 shall be deemed to be a prohibited immigrant and liable to deportation under the aliens act, 1963 (act 160).

 

Finally,

3- The provisions of sections 23 and 24 do not preclude of any country or a non-governmental organisation from providing assistance in cash or in kind to the Commission for use by the Commission for the collection benefit of registered political parties.

Why do I raise all of these issues? Owing to the fact that we are in another electoral year and we are failing to set the law in motion in terms of really cracking the whip to regulate our political parties and stop the monster of corruption in its tracks. We can have all the fanfare about fighting corruption but until we tackle the major problem of political party funding, we shall only be tickling our own selves and laughing - a totally futile enterprise.

That is why the Auditor General recently tabled his concerns on liabilities and the dangers they pose to politicians by way of influence. How are we checking on the likely hidden liabilities of those seeking political office? Yes, some may declare their assets; but even then, how do we get into the very troubling matter of their oft-hidden liabilities? That is where one of our major problems is - because it is these debts, so to speak, that often make politicians steal – and because when politicians do steal to repay debts, the paper trail is difficult to follow for you do not see any wild additions to the politician's assets, yet they would have paid off someone and defrayed a debt.

We may already have entered this electoral year, but I feel we desperately need to take a second and more critical look at how our political parties are funded and plug the loopholes. It would solve a great chunk of our problems as far as political parties are concerned, believe you me.

As for me, Ghanafo) monem dada - what must be spoken about which the duty-bearers are not saying a thing, I shall bring up for discussion - for the supreme benefit of all of us. We deserve better, much better, from our politicians, and it all starts with a proper regulation of our political parties so they can be more accountable and transparent in what they do. If this is executed, it will be a major gain in combatting corruption head-on in Ghana.

Ghanafo), I share these reflections because as a true citizen and not a spectator, I mean to contribute everything I can in helping shape a much better Ghana for ourselves and posterity.

My name is Benjamin Akakpo and this is A PIECE OF MY MIND, raw and unedited.

Source: classfmonline.com