Details emerging from the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) recent presidential primaries suggest that the Abetifi Member of Parliament, Dr. Bryan Acheampong, who contested the NPP’s Presidential primary spent significant sums of money on delegate transport facilitation on election day, despite finishing third in the contest.
According to information attributed to Dr. Acheampong’s campaign team, the MP provided financial support to an estimated 190,000 delegates who voted in the primaries. Each delegate was initially given GH¢100 at T&T and later an additional GH¢700, bringing the total to GH¢800 per delegate.
The campaign team said the money was intended to facilitate the movement of delegates from their homes to the various voting centres across the country but not to bribe them as speculated.
Based on the figures provided, the total disclosed expenditure on delegate facilitation alone amounted to about GH¢152 million.
The team also indicated that an undisclosed additional amount was spent on feeding delegates at several voting centres nationwide.
Despite the heavy investment, Dr. Acheampong secured 36,303 votes, representing 18.53 percent (18.53%) of the total valid votes cast in the primaries.
Checks by this publication further indicate that other leading contenders in the race also provided financial support to delegates.
Former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia and Assin Central MP Kennedy Ohene Agyapong are said to have each paid GH¢600 per delegate to facilitate transportation and logistics.
In contrast, former Education Minister Dr. Yaw Osei Adutwum reportedly adopted a selective approach, providing financial support mainly to delegates from his constituency and a limited number of others with a budget of GH¢ 500.
Former NPP General Secretary, Kwabena Agyei Agyapong, is said not to have made any payments to delegates during the primaries.
however, former Vice President Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia also paid GH¢ 500 but a some point double payment from the same camp was effected supported by some members of parliament who supported candidature of the party’s 2024 Presidential candidate.
The NPP has not officially commented on the reported expenditures, and there has been no independent verification of the figures provided by the various campaign teams.
The revelations have reignited public debate about the role of money in internal party elections and the broader implications for Ghana’s democratic processes, as political parties begin preparations toward the 2028 general elections.
Source :www.kumasimail.com
