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The justification given by the Electoral Commission for the increment in the filing fee which is to be paid by all the political parties ahead of the 2020 December 7 polls has been described the National Youth Organizer of the Convention Peoples’ Party (CPP), Osei Kofi as the most unfunny joke from the Commission.

The Electoral Commission on Monday, September 14, 2020, announced that it had increased the filing fees of presidential aspirants from GHC50,000 to GHC100,000.

It furthered that parliamentary aspirants are to pay ¢10,000.

The new figures have been widely condemned by particularly presidential aspirants of minority parties.

Explaining the increment of the filing fees in an interview on CityNews, however, a Deputy Chairman of the Commission, Dr. Bossman Eric Asare insisted that the increment is in tandem with the value of the currency.

“In each particular year, it is important you look at the value of GHS50,000 in 2016, then compare it to GHS50,000 in 2020 then you will notice that the Commission has not increased it much. And even when you look at the [filing fee for] parliamentary [aspirants], the GHS10,000, you will realize that the Commission has reduced the price because we all know that GHS10,000 in 2016, is not the same as GHS10,000 in 2020. The Commission is doing this to promote multiparty democracy.”

Chairperson of the EC, Jean Mensa during the press briefing on Monday, explained that candidates are expected to access their nomination forms online effective Monday, September 14, 2020, at 6:00 pm.

The EC further declared a five-day period for candidates or representatives of political parties to present their nomination forms from October 5-9, 2020.

But reacting to the justification of the Electoral Commission on Okay FM’s Ade Akye Abia Morning Show, Osei Kofi said that “the reason given for the increment of the filing fees is the most unfunny joke I have ever heard”.

“The EC made us understood that because they want to boost Ghanaian business people, most of the printing is done in the country and how can that affect the dollar rate? are we trading with and using the dollar in the country? So, the legal tender of Ghana has moved from Cedi to Dollar, is that what the EC is saying?”

He bemoaned that the running of a political party is not just about filing the nomination forms as it has more to do with billboards, the printing of t-shirts, posters, banners, and other paraphernalia as well as fueling campaign vehicles.

“Political party running is not just about filing the nomination forms; it has more to do with billboards, campaigns, party t-shirts and that is where the EC has to consider because a lot of money will go into the fueling your campaign vehicles, and also do posters, banners and other paraphernalia for the campaign”, he lamented.