Asiedu Nketia calls for state funding of party primaries, says 2014 one-member-one-vote exercise cost GH¢14m

National Democratic Congress (NDC) Chairman Johnson Asiedu Nketia has urged the government to fund political party primaries under the one-member-one-vote system, citing the high expenses incurred by the party in the 2014 elections. The Supreme Court mandated political parties to adopt a more inclusive candidate selection process, granting parties one year to comply.

Speaking on JoyNews, Mr. Asiedu Nketia revealed that the NDC spent nearly GH¢14 million during the 2014 primary elections, covering the establishment of over 8,000 polling stations, materials, and officials' allowances. The Electoral Commission did not contribute financially. Nketia argued that the state should support the process, as the system promotes civic and democratic rights.

He suggested that the Electoral Commission could conduct the elections free of charge. Concerns about state funding potentially leading to more political parties were addressed by Nketia, who proposed an office to regulate party recognition based on constitutional requirements. The NDC experienced both benefits and financial burdens with the 2014 system, which opened more than 8,000 polling stations and required between one million to two million ballot papers, far more expensive than delegate elections.