The Executive Director of CARE Ghana, David Kumi Addo, has welcomed the recent court ruling on political party elections, describing it as a significant step towards reducing electoral corruption, vote-buying and the monetisation of internal party elections.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Adekyee Mu Nsem with Citizen Kofi Owusu in Accra, Mr. Kumi Addo said CARE Ghana has consistently championed measures to combat electoral fraud through public education and by encouraging law enforcement agencies to prosecute electoral offenders. However, he noted that these efforts have yielded limited results.
“We are very happy about this ruling because we have been trying to fight electoral corruption and electoral fraud. We have educated the public and called on the police to ensure those who violate electoral laws are dealt with, but we have not been very successful,” he said.
According to him, the small number of delegates involved in internal party elections has made it easier for some aspirants to influence outcomes through vote-buying. He believes expanding participation in such elections will significantly reduce the practice.
Mr. Kumi Addo argued that the ruling would drastically minimise the distribution of items such as televisions, refrigerators, sewing machines and other gifts used to induce delegates to vote for particular candidates.
“When people buy their way into leadership, we often fail to elect competent individuals who can drive national development. This is one of the reasons our country’s development has been slow,” he stated.
He further noted that the ruling would help reduce electoral disputes while promoting credible leadership based on competence rather than financial influence.
Responding to concerns that the ruling could increase the cost of conducting internal party elections, Mr. Kumi Addo dismissed the argument, saying those making such claims were unwilling to end bribery and corruption in the electoral process.
He maintained that Ghana’s Constitution provides the legal framework for political party organisation, while the country’s electoral laws uphold the principle of universal adult suffrage.
“We practise universal adult suffrage in this country. If we allow only a few people to choose leaders on behalf of the majority, then we are not advancing the aspirations of the Ghanaian people. This ruling will help us elect competent people to lead the country,” he said.
Story by Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah | Ahotoronline.com | Accra,