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A Deputy Director of Communications for the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), Kamal-Deen Abdulai says the filing fee for the 2020 presidential election is a good measure to reduce the number of persons on the ballot.
The Electoral Commission, on Monday, September 14, 2020, opened nominations for the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.
Check This Out: Election 2020: Presidential and Parliamentary candidates to pay Ghc100,000 and Ghc10,000 as filing fees
The nomination forms are to be filed from Monday, October 5, 2020, to Friday, October 9, 2020, with GHS100, 000 set as the filing fee for presidential candidates, and GHS10, 000 for parliamentary candidates.
But there have been varied opinions on the amount set, with many calling for a reduction.
Meanwhile, Kamal-Deen Abdulai says the GHS100,000 fee requirement will help prevent a situation where over 40 candidates could be found on the ballot.
Mr. Kamal-Deen Abdulai made these comments on Citi TV’s Breakfast Daily show on Tuesday, September 15, 2020.
“In any case, political parties like the NDC not too long ago charged GHS400,000 for their presidential elections. The NPP also charged GHS200,000 for their presidential candidates. So, I think it is to sanitise the system. The money is not going to the Electoral Commission but for all Ghanaians,” he said.
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EC defends GHS100,000 filing fee for presidential aspirants
The Electoral Commission has justified the increment in filing fees for the 2020 presidential and parliamentary elections.
A Deputy Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Bossman Eric Asare insisted that the increment is in tandem with the value of the currency.
“In each particular year, it is important you look at the value of GHS50,000 in 2016, then compare it to GHS50,000 in 2020 then you will notice that the Commission has not increased it much. And even when you look at the [filing fee for] parliamentary [aspirants], the GHS10,000, you will realise that the Commission has reduced the price because we all know that GHS10,000 in 2016, is not the same as GHS10,000 in 2020. The Commission is doing this to promote multiparty democracy.”
