Disclose source of funding for political activities – Asiedu Nketiah
The General Secretary of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Johnson Asiedu Nketia, has called on political parties to disclose the sources of funding for their activities.
He wants a review of the Political Parties Law that will strictly compel politicians to do disclose where they get money from to finance party activities including campaigns.
The former Minister in the Rawlings regime believes this is the only way to check corruption, the opulence exhibited by political parties during their activities as well as curb the monetisation of the country’s democracy.
“We have to know how much each activity can be financed. We must all disclose our sources of funding for our political activities for all to know’ he said during the NDC’s 38th anniversary of the 31st December revolution.
Several big names including the party’s founder, former President J.J. Rawlings and 2020 Flagbearer of the NDC John Dramani Mahama all converged at the Winneba in the Central Region to mark the day.
This year’s theme for the commemoration is “Monetisation of Elections in Ghana: ‘A threat to National Development and Genuine Democracy”.
Mr Asiedu-Nketiah also observed that the monetisation of politics in the country could
There was a wreath-laying ceremony in honour of the fallen heroes.
This was also followed by a durbar.
Review “useless” Asset Declaration law
Turning his attention to asset declaration, the NDC General Secretary also called for a review of the Asset Declaration Law.
“Our current asset declaration law is weak. The asset declaration law in the time of former President Rawlings was much stronger than what we have now. During the PNDC era, if you file your asset, we publish it for everyone to know so if you think otherwise, come and challenge it
“But today, if you file your assets, the Auditor-General has no right to even follow up to know if those assets exist or not. And he/she can’t publish it. So this is a useless ritual. So if our leaders don’t declare their asset and end up stealing from the state, how do we know?” he quizzed.
He said one of the ways Ghana can fight corruption is to review the current asset declaration law.
About the 31st December revolution
The December 31 coup led by the then Flt Lt J.J. Rawlings overthrew the Limann administration over allegations of corruption.
The revolution ushered in a period of economic and political transformation that culminated in the re-establishment of lasting constitutional rule in 1992.
With pressure on the military administration to hand over power to a civilian administration, the revolution also gave birth to the National Democratic Congress which won elections in 1992 and 1996 under the leadership of Rawlings.