Vice Chairman of the 2024 Bawumia Campaign Team, Nana Akomea, has called for the pressing need to tackle the growing monetization of internal party politics in Ghana.
Responding to questions from host of the Angel Morning Show, Okatakyie Afrifa-Mensah, regarding the current delegates system within the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Nana Akomea admonished the urgent need for intervention to curb the undue influence of money in political processes.
Reflecting on the progression of the NPP Delegates System since 1996, the former Communications Director for the governing party acknowledged its expansion and evolution. He noted that the proliferation of delegates over the years has yielded benefits, particularly in reducing the susceptibility of aspirants to influence delegates through monetary means. With the delegates count now exceeding 200,000, Nana Akomea highlighted the logistical challenges of attempting to sway such a vast electorate solely through financial incentives.
During his discourse, Akomea disclosed that during the recent delegate congress that elected Dr. Bawumia as the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party, both Bawumia and Kennedy Agyapong provided monetary support to delegates, with amounts totaling GHS 40 and GHS 30 respectively. Emphasizing the significance of the expanded delegate group, Akomea pointed out that the current delegate system has substantially mitigated the influence of monetary inducements compared to earlier iterations with smaller delegate pools.
Despite the improvements in the delegate system aimed at safeguarding against undue influence, Akomea cautioned against the prevailing trend of monetization pervading Ghana’s political landscape. He called upon all stakeholders, including the Electoral Commission, to implement practical measures to combat this detrimental phenomenon.
“The monetization of our politics must be addressed because it is having a trickle-down effect in our political system,” Akomea asserted, highlighting the broader implications of unchecked financial influence on the democratic process.
Nana Akomea’s insights underscore the critical need for concerted action to address the issue of monetization in Ghanaian politics. His call to action resonates as a clarion call for all stakeholders to uphold the principles of transparency, accountability, and fairness in political processes, thereby safeguarding the democratic ideals upon which the nation’s governance is founded.
