Political parties must provide logistical support to delegates – GACC

The Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition (GACC) has called on political parties to take up the responsibility for providing logistical support to delegates during internal elections. This, GACC noted, would help reduce the increasing incidents of perceived or real corruption and vote-buying during such elections. The call was contained in the Coalition's Corruption Report 2023, dubbed 'Reflections on the State of Corruption in Ghana,' available to the Ghana News Agency. It was observed that the increasing incidence of perceived or real corruption and vote-buying, especially in political parties' internal election processes, was worrying and needed to be addressed. It indicated that using secondary sources in data collection on the issue, a few such vote-buying incidents that occurred in 2023 included the 27th of June 2023 by-election in the Assin North constituency in the Central Region. The GACC added that there was a display of opulence in the NPP presidential primaries, as well as open vote-buying actions in the party's parliamentary primaries in its 'orphan constituencies.' The report cited the NPP Member of Parliament for Bibiani-Anhwiaso-Bekwai Constituency, Alfred Obeng-Boateng, for open vote-buying actions during the parliamentary primaries. It indicated that there were reports of voter inducements during the NDC presidential and parliamentary primaries, with Ejura Sekyeredumase being an example. The GACC therefore urged the government to take measures to forestall abuse of incumbency and electoral corruption during the December general elections this year. Source: Ghana News Agency