Kwesi Pratt Jnr has expressed bitter feelings over the amount of money pegged as filing fee for nomination forms by the Electoral Commission.
The Electoral Commission (EC) is charging 10,000 and 50,000 cedis for the Parliamentary and Presidential candidacy respectively.
The Commission believes the stipulated sum of money will bring order into the nomination process and also put some seriousness into the candidates who manage to pick the forms.
But some critics have lambasted the EC for claiming such exorbitant fees.
Addressing the issue on Peace FM's Kokrokoo, Tuesday, Kwesi Pratt questioned the EC's logic in charging such fees.
To him, the EC is abusing its independence and lording itself over Ghanaians.
“independence does not take away the fact that they’re working for the people of Ghana. They work for Ghana and the country. So, they can’t do whatever they like. They must do what Ghanaians like…The people of Ghana have the right to abolish the Electoral Commission. We can amend the constitution and abolish the Electoral Commission and so on. They’re dragging the issue of their independence. Independence doesn’t mean they can dictate everybody and so on.”
He further explained that the filing fee specified by the Commission will incapacitate some qualified candidates who would like to file for their nomination forms and contest the elections.
Mr. Pratt believed the EC has pegged the forms at such fees to discourage the prospective candidates instead of it being an incentive to them.
“You can be the wisest, most patriotic or very diligent but if you don’t get the 50000, the Electoral Commission won’t allow you to contest the elections. So, the money has become the main criteria. It’s more important than being 40 years and above. It’s more important than being a qualified voter. It’s more important than any other constitutional requirement because if you don’t get the 50000 and yet meet all the conditions, you’ll not be allowed to file...it saddens me. In some way too, it disgusts me…We’re going back. We’re going back to the days of attaining democracy. We’re going back to the feudalist era. We’re going back to the era in which money decided everything and so on” he added.
Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana
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KWESI you have always been on the side of Charlotte Osei and the EC. What has changed this time? When you guys get paid to do dirty politics this is what you get in the end. If you had supported to clip the EC's chairpersons wings earlier we wouldn't be where we are today. When you play a Russian Roulette with the fate of over 25 million Ghanaians you don't expect to be left out when things get out of control. Whatever fee that goes with the registration is just a chicken change for the NDC. WISE UP
You who?
Are you not the same guy saying the EC must be left alone? When the rest of us complained about EC you attacked us. Today, you are doing what you criticised others for doing. You are a big fuuuuuuuuul, Pratt. No wonder nobody respects you nowadays. You are like discarded toilett paper,
What else doesnt disgust you? everything disgust you...this man don tireya for ghana oo jumping from one radio station to the other and he keeps on saying is for the luv of the nation...no mr for the love of ur pocket and stomach
EC is a state institution with the core mandate of conducting free, fair and transparent elections for the state. By inference, EC is paid for discharging the above responsibilities. The state did not state in EC's job offer letters to rig elections for any party to be paid. The salaries are for free fair and transparent elections and NOT for rigged elections. If at any point EC has no credibility in the eyes of the people whose taxes are used to pay them, then EC must be uxeless institution headed by uxeless person. I don't have any regard for people like that. WHO HAS HEARD ANY REMARK ON AMERIKA'S EC? No one! Because that EC has no candidate to rig the election for. Can we say same about Ghana's EC? No wonder Ghana continues to be a lame country.
This explains why he is still healthy and strong. At 72, many would have expected him to be feeble and frail. I don't have any reason to drink or smoke. I hope to live very long. God help me. And to live in his own house as a minister without receiving any remuneration and benefits attached to the position, makes him a leader! This is a lesson to all, smoking and drinking can shorten your life on this earth. I salute you Nana.
Kwesi, please as you have been saying "let the EC do its job". When people complain you critizes, now they are doing their job, period!!!!!