Ghana needs an independent regulator to oversee political party financing – Valentin Kwasi Mensah
Development Economist and Chartered Accountant, Valentin Kwasi Mensah, PhD, has called for the establishment of an independent regulatory body to supervise political party financing in Ghana and strengthen accountability in the country's electoral process.
Development Economist and Chartered Accountant, Valentin Kwasi Mensah, has advocated for the establishment of an independent regulatory body to oversee political party financing in Ghana. In his opinion piece titled “Political Rivalry and the Rising Cost of Politics in Ghana,” Mensah highlighted the need for stronger institutional oversight due to the increasing cost of political campaigns and weak enforcement of existing financial disclosure requirements.
He pointed out that excessive campaign spending could make politicians reliant on wealthy sponsors, who might expect reciprocal benefits. Though Ghana's Constitution and the Political Parties Act, 2000 (Act 574), require political parties to disclose funding sources, submit financial returns, and publish audited accounts, implementation has been inconsistent.
Mensah pointed to the Electoral Commission's failure to respond to his request for the 2023 financial returns and audited accounts of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as an example of this issue. He argued that the lack of regular public reporting on political party finances hinders citizens and Parliament's ability to assess the Electoral Commission's enforcement of regulations.
Mensah suggested that an independent regulator, either established through the Constitution or ordinary legislation, could address these challenges. He emphasized the importance of constitutional protection for the regulator's independence, mandate, and appointment procedures while leaving operational details to legislation. Additionally, he recommended implementing campaign spending limits, timely disclosure of major donations, verification of funding sources, and consistent enforcement of sanctions against parties breaching financial reporting requirements.
Brief written by urgent.news from MyJoyOnline Ghana's own syndicated text. Machine-written — may contain errors; check the original before relying on it.
