Ghana EC sets filing fees at GH¢100,000 for presidential candidates

Candidates seeking to contest the 2020 presidential elections in Ghana will have to pay a hefty GH¢100,000 filing fee, the Electoral Commission (EC) has announced.

The EC has set aside five days for the filing of nomination by Presidential and Parliamentary candidates who want to contest the 2020 general election.

The filing will be from October 5 to 9 and the forms can be accessed on the Commission’s website from Monday September 14 at 1800hrs.

Mrs Jean Mensa, the Chairperson of the Commission who disclosed this at the “Let the Citizen Know” media briefing in Accra said the cost of the filing for the Presidential slot is GH¢100,000, while that of the Parliamentary is GH¢10,000.

Payment for the filing fees should be made in bankers’ draft, the EC said.

She also explained that in view of the COVID-19 measures, the Commission would not entertain more than five people during the filing process.

She said the Commission was with the conviction that the initiative would break down the bureaucratic nature of the filing of nominations and make it less cumbersome.

“The atmosphere, where people accompanied candidates on such occasions amidst drumming, singing, dancing and sloganeering will not be permitted,” she said.

Mrs Mensa said the filled and endorsed forms must be submitted together with requirement documentation including; four passport-sized photographs on a red background, a statutory declaration, introductory letter from the political parties and tax clearance certificate to the Chairperson of the Commission.

The Presidential Candidate, she said must designate a person as Vice presidential candidate and the filled forms must be submitted in quadruplicate.

“A person who satisfied all the requirements, but holds dual citizenship, sentenced for 10 years by a court, has engaged in abuse of office, or declared bankrupt is disqualified from contesting as President or Parliamentarian,” she said.

Source: GNA