EC Maintains Presidential Filing Fee At GH¢100k, Parliamentary At GH¢10k

Jean Mensa

The Electoral Commission (EC) has declared that the filing fees for the 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections will remain the same as those charged during the 2020 polls.

This decision comes after significant backlash faced by the EC for doubling the filing fee for presidential candidates from GH¢50,000 to GH¢100,000 during the last elections, which was considered excessive.

Dr. Bossman Eric Asare, Deputy Chairman of the EC, had previously justified the increase by stating that it was aligned with the value of the currency.

However, this decision received widespread criticism from political parties and the public.

In a joint communiqué issued by the EC and the various political parties after the Inter-Party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting on Thursday, March 7, 2024, it was confirmed that the filing fees for the upcoming elections would remain unchanged. Presidential candidates will still be required to pay GH¢100,000, while parliamentary candidates will pay GH¢10,000.

The EC also expressed its appreciation for the contributions of political party leaders in the development of the 2024 Election Plan.

The leaders of the political parties made useful inputs into the plan, and the EC has shown a willingness to implement some of their suggestions.

At the meeting, political parties unanimously commended the Electoral Commission for the preparation of a comprehensive calendar to govern the 2024 Elections.

Additionally, the EC announced that it will continue to use indelible ink as the electoral stain for marking voters in the 2024 General Elections. The Limited Voter Registration Exercise will be conducted for a period of 21 days, starting from Tuesday, May 7th, and ending on Monday, May 27th, 2024. The exercise will take place at the District Offices of the Electoral Commission and in difficult-to-access Electoral Areas.

By maintaining the filing fees and other key election procedures, the EC aims to maintain transparency and fairness in the electoral process for the upcoming 2024 Presidential and Parliamentary Elections.

By Vincent Kubi

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