$150m needed to win presidential election in Ghana – CDD report

A new report by the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) has highlighted alarming figures regarding the cost of winning elections in Ghana, raising serious concerns about the future of democratic governance and the country’s battle against corruption.

According to the report, securing victory in both presidential and parliamentary elections now requires an estimated $150 million, and an additional 10 million Ghanaian cedis.

The report attributes this significant cost to the increasing monetisation of the electoral process—a trend it warns is entrenching corruption and weakening accountability within public office.

Dr Kojo Asante, Director of Programmes at CDD-Ghana, expressed his concern about the situation during a presentation before the Constitutional Review Committee, calling the situation alarming.

“We must begin electing leaders with integrity and orienting them towards the public interest, as this focus on public welfare also drives development,” he said.

Dr Asante emphasised that political parties cannot be left to regulate their internal processes alone.

“There must be clear provisions for disqualifying candidates who breach regulations, as well as mandatory asset declarations for those running for office. We also need to address the oversight of political parties themselves, which ultimately leads to the Electoral Commission,” he added.

He made these remarks during a programme held over the weekend at a meeting of the Constitutional Review Committee.