EC Should Be Reasonable...It's Unlawful To Use Money To Impede Candidates

NPP Member of Parliament for Ablekuma West, Hon. Ursula Owusu-Ekuful says the Electoral Commission should be reasonable in the Commission's filing fees for the Parliamentary and Presidential nomination forms.

Ursula Owusu-Ekuful explained that the fees pegged at GHC 10000 and 50000 for the Parliamentary and Presidential forms respectively will inconvenience some prospective aspirants.

According to her, it is unlawful and unconstitutional for the EC to use money to impede people from filing the nomination forms.

She however admitted that it is appropriate for the Commission to charge a significant amount to check any waste in the system and to whip up seriousness in the nominees.

“For some, it will be a barrier for participation. It will impede some people from participating in governance…Our law doesn’t teach us to use money as a barrier to participation. However, we need to have serious people who participate in our politics.”

Hon. Owusu-Ekuful further said that though, it is within the remits of the Commission to decide which amount to charge the nominees but they should be moderate to help others to file their nomination.

“Lawfully, they have the power to decide but they have to be reasonable in the fees that they’ve stipulated that we should pay before we file our nominations.”