Publish Assets, Accounts of Political Parties – Court to EC

An Accra Human Rights Court has ordered the Electoral Commission (EC) to make public all assets and audited statements of accounts of political parties in Ghana.

The Citizen Ghana Movement (CGM) and a private citizen Lolan Ekow Sagoe-Moses last year took the EC to court to compel the Commission to enforce the Constitutional provisions which mandate Political Parties to declare and publish their revenues and assets.

This was to push for greater transparency and reduce corruption among the Parties.

Political parties Act

The Political Parties Act 574 (section 21), states that, political parties shall within six months from December 31 of each year, file with the Commission: a return in the form specified by the Commission indicating – the state of its accounts, the sources of its funds, membership dues paid and contributions in cash or kind.

Other requirements are; the properties of the party and time of acquisition, such other particulars as the Commission may reasonably require, and audited accounts of the party for the year.

 Judgement

Delivering his judgment, the Presiding Judge Justice Anthony Yeboah, charged the Commission to comply with the directive by publishing a demand notice to all political parties to take immediate steps to comply with the law within six-month from Friday, February 9, 2018.

Speaking to Starr News’ Court Correspondent, Wilberforce Asare, Kofi Bentil, counsel for CGM said; “From now, to the six months period we are entitled to what they have and if even they don’t give us anything at all, at the end of the six months we are entitled to every political parties statement of accounts and assets as provided for in the constitution.”

Source: Starrfmonline