Parties agree on funding for political parties

TWELVE political parties have agreed that all the political parties that participated in the 2008 General elections must be made to benefit from the Enhanced Public Support for Political Parties fund, if the law establishing the fund is passed this year.
However, after the 2012 elections, political parties that would benefit from the fund must obtain at least one per cent of valid votes cast in the general elections.
This was contained in a declaration dubbed ‘Akosombo Two’ developed after a two-day Inter party Advisory Committee (IPAC) meeting at Akosombo during the weekend.
The declaration was signed by the leadership of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), New Patriotic Party (NPP), People’s National Convention (PNC), the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Democratic Freedom Party,(DFP), Reform Patriotic Democrats (RPD), Democratic People’s Party, (DPP), Every Ghanaian Living Everywhere (EGLE), Great Consolidated Popular Party (GCPP), United Renaissance Party (URP), New Vision Party (NVP) and Ghana National Party (GNP).
The declaration said it was high time the fund was established because both President JEA Mills and his predecessor, Former President JEA Kufuor had stated before Parliament their determination to pursue the matter.
Consequently, it urged President JEA Mills to, as a mater of urgency to initiate the legislative processes for the establishment of the fund this year to support political parties activities in the country, this is because “ a bill with financial implications can only be introduced by the president to Parliament”.
The parties recommended to the President and Parliament that when established, the fund should be allocated to the eligible parties on the basis of the following criteria.
Under equity, all political parties should receive 30 per cent, 15 per cent for institutional development, 15 per cent for research and public education, 25 per cent for election campaign cost, eight per cent for reward for performance based on representation in parliament, five per cent for women participation and two per cent for general fund management.
The declaration said that the managers of the fund must ensure that there was a sanction regime comprising a reduction, suspension and cancellation of grant to deal with political parties that abuse the fund.
It also recommended the endorsement of decisions taken under the ‘Akosombo Two’ which was developed in 2007.
Under Akosombo Two, it recommended that major sources of funds would include a seed and annuals budgetary contributions by the state, funds from development partners and corporate bodies and individuals.
“Five per cent of the election campaign cost should be set aside for possible presidential run off, where there is no run off, the money must be added to the following year’s general fund allocation. Election campaign funds should be accessible not less than six months before general elections and that the fund will not give additional support to political parties for bye-elections”, it added.
The declarations warned that political parties accessing the funds would be held to strict accounting and auditing standards.
According to the declaration, the fund would be managed by a seven-member committee made up of two members from the EC, a representative of the Accountant General’s Department, a representative of the Attorney General’s Department and three representative of the political parties.
With the representative of the political parties, one would be for the party in power, the other for the largest party in opposition while the remaining eligible parties would be represented by one person.
To ensure that the there was sustained advocacy on government to initiate the process, the EC was urged to provide the needed leadership in this direction and also work out a plan to build up public support for the state and other contributions to the fund.
The declaration appealed to Members of Parliament (MPs) to attach great importance to the issue and co-operate with the executive in a non-partisan manner to pass the bill and said the political parties with representatives in parliament must also dialogue with their various caucuses on the matter to get their support for the bill.