This follows the wave of bashing it received from some political parties for pegging presidential and parliamentary filing fees at GHc50, 000 and GHc10, 000 respectively; an amount they complain is too high.

Some of the parties including the New Patriotic Party (NPP), have expressed reservations about the amount, saying it would only limit the electioneering process to a privileged few.

[contextly_sidebar id=”EwioI2h60L3ys8vbhqi0xxLdreS6X4ww”]Speaking to Citi News, the Head of Communications at the EC, Eric Dzakpasu, said the commission will meet to deliberate on the way forward.

“The commission has taken notice of the concerns and that the commission will meet and decide if there is a possibility of a review and that if there is a review it will be communicated to the political parties.”

Mr. Dzakpasu explained that, the amount they fixed was done in accordance with the law, and as such, the monies will be deposited in the Consolidated Fund if the presidential and parliamentary candidates fail to garner 25% and 12.5% votes respectively, during the December general elections.

“The law gave the mandate to the Electoral Commission to fix the nomination fee for both presidential and parliamentary election and this is the decision taken at the management level of the commission in compliance with the law. These fees that are collected from the political parties is a deposit in the sense that when you look at the regulation 45 of C.I.94, it says that at the end of the election where a presidential candidate is able to make 25% of the valid votes cast in the election, the money is refunded to the candidate and at the parliamentary level, if the candidate is able to make 12.5%, the money goes back to the candidate otherwise it is forfeited and it is paid into the consolidated fund but not the account of the Electoral Commission,” he added.

Where to pick nomination forms

The Commission has opened nominations for both presidential and parliamentary nominees in the country.

Presidential nominees are to pick their forms at the EC Head office, while parliamentary nominees are to pick theirs at the various district offices.

EC must call emergency IPAC meeting over high filing fees

Mr. Dzakpasu’s assurance follows a call by the Coalition of Domestic Election Observers (CODEO) on the aggrieved political parties to petition the EC over the filing fees.

“What they can do if they want a reduction is that they can dialogue with the commission, it’s not a question of giving them an ultimatum, just organize an emergency IPAC, let them meet and you raise concern. They last time they held an IPAC, the commission said it was going to look at it again so let us give them the benefit of the doubt they might maybe have some small reduction for them,” the National Coordinator for CODEO, Albert Arhin said.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post EC to consider review of ‘exorbitant’ filing fees appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.

Last week, the EC increased by about 500 percent, the filing fees for presidential aspirants which is now pegged at GHc50,000.

[contextly_sidebar id=”fVuuEcdBAaQ8zXGJxch4gq4pC69FBBuS”]It also pegged filing fees for parliamentary aspirants at GHc10,000.

Some smaller parties have angrily protested saying the amount would only limit participation in the democratic process to a privileged few.

“What they can do if they want a reduction is that they can dialogue with the commission, it’s not a question of giving them an ultimatum, just organize an emergency IPAC, let them meet and you raise the concern. The last time they held an IPAC meeting, the commission said it was going to look at it again so let us give them the benefit of the doubt; they might have some small reduction for them,” the National Coordinator for CODEO, Albert Arhin said.

Albert Arhin also explained that threatening the Electoral Commission is unnecessary.

“…they [EC] want to make sure that anybody who is trying to enter into this competition is a little bit serious. There is this thing about the fact that other people may not be able to do it. But you are competing to be a parliamentary candidate for a constituency and you are paying GHc10, 000, I think its okay. In the case of the presidential, I think the fact is that, you need to be a serious person before you would want to embark on such a mission.”

The EC had explained that presidential candidates who are able to garner about 25% of the votes would have their monies refunded to them as well as parliamentary candidates are able to get 12.5%.

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By: Godwin A. Allotey/citifmonline.com/Ghana
Follow @AlloteyGodwin

The post Appeal to EC to hold IPAC meeting over filing fees – CODEO appeared first on Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always.