CSOs engage Parliament on campaign finance transparency
Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) have called for greater transparency in political campaign financing to strengthen Ghana’s fight against corruption and promote accountability in governance.
The call was made at a CSOs Parliamentary Engagement on Collective Anti-Corruption Advocacy held in Accra on Tuesday.
The Fundraising and Corporate Affairs Manager of Transparency International Ghana, Mr Michael Kwame Boadi, said the engagement formed part of a broader anti-corruption project aimed at promoting good governance, transparency and accountability.
He said the project was being implemented in collaboration with the Africa Centre for International Law and Accountability (ACILA) and the Ghana Anti-Corruption Coalition.
Mr Boadi said the engagement brought together Parliament and relevant parliamentary departments to deliberate on campaign financing and the need to strengthen transparency in political funding.
He said the discussions were also aimed at promoting political and campaign finance transparency in line with the global anti-corruption agenda.
“The resolution on campaign finance, which would promote political and campaign finance transparency, is squarely on the global anti-corruption agenda,” Mr Boadi stated.
Also speaking, the Executive Director of ACILA, Mr William Nyarko, said Ghana had ratified various international and regional instruments aimed at combating corruption, which placed obligations on the country to promote cooperation and accountability in the fight against corruption.
He said Ghana was also required under the African Union framework to take steps to ensure greater transparency in political and campaign financing.
Mr Nyarko said the Supreme Court had taken judicial notice of the increasing cost of politics and stressed the need for greater transparency in the financing of political campaigns and candidates.
He said state parties were required to ensure that campaign and candidate financing was transparent and accountable.
According to him, the Supreme Court’s decision also provided a one-year moratorium for political parties to bring their practices, rules and guidelines into conformity with the relevant requirements.
The engagement formed part of efforts by CSOs to strengthen collective advocacy for anti-corruption reforms and promote transparency and accountability within Ghana’s political system.
BY PERPETUAL MENSAH AND JESSIE PRINCESS DUAH
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