The manifestation of vote-buying in Ghana politics is becoming a normal thing during election time in almost every region across constituencies in the country, with hundreds of cedis, sometimes dollars spent with the aim of influencing electorate who wield the power to elect politicians for various positions in government.
Some of these monies are spent on party paraphernalia which are distributed during campaign tours and at rally grounds. The items ranges from pieces of cloth, farm tools, monetary incentives and others.
While many politicians are of the view that these “goodies” that are distributed do not constitute to vote-buying, many people strongly disagree.
Many international and local institutions such as CDD Ghana and CODEO have over the years called these gestures nothing but a way of buying votes and influencing electorates.
This school of thought defines vote-buying as a corrupt election practice. It is a means to entice delegates in voting for them. In Ghana, the two major political parties are gearing up for the general elections in 2024 and as part of preparations; they are organizing primaries to elect representatives who will contest parliamentary seats and presidential candidates.
Last weekend the main opposition party National Democratic Congress (NDC) primaries at Ejura-Sekyere Odumase constituency in Ashanti Region and other parts of the country, there were video evident reports of some candidates sharing “money goodies” to party delegates to buy their votes.
In the constituency, an aspiring parliamentary candidate, Juliana Wassan, was seen spraying money on the election grounds in a viral video on social media. An action many political watches have described as vote buying and a threat to Ghana’s political democracy compelling the regional executives of her party NDC and the office of the special prosecutor to invite her for questioning over her conduct which is said to have breach the countries electoral laws.
Member of Parliament for Ejura-Sekyedumase, Mohammed Bawah Braimah, also in an interview with the media also disclosed paying one thousand cedis (GHc. 1,000.00) to each delegate and Knapsack Sprayers.
