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30th March, 2011
Oteng Gyasi Bemoans Funding Of Political Parties By Foreigners
Mr Tony Oteng-Gyasi, Managing Director of Tropical Cable and Conductor Limited, has bemoaned the practice where foreigners are allowed to fund political parties in the country, saying it poses a threat to the country’s nascent democracy.
“Apart from the undue influence which foreign financing gives non-citizens, it is also dangerous to hinge our democracy on the generosity of foreigners,†he stated at the Second AngloGold (Ghana) Lecture on ‘Business in Africa’ at the Institute of African Studies (IAS), of the University of Ghana in Accra on Tuesday.
According to Mr Oteng-Gyasi it was rumoured that during election time political parties brought in money from other countries such as Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast,and to as far as Congo and Dubai.
Speaking on the topic, Financiers of Political Change in Ghana, Heroes and Villains, he observed that the usage of foreign funds to fund political parties was inconsistent with the 1992 Constitution and quoted Article 55 of the Constitution which states that it is only a citizen of Ghana who can make contribution or donation to a political party registered in Ghana.â€
He stressed that the just ended district level elections gave credence to the fact that the country’s democracy could not depend be hinged on the largesse of foreign donors.
“It seems we have allowed resigned ourselves to having foreigners fund our political activity. For a people who funded virtually all political activity leading to, and including our independence struggle ourselves, this is simply unacceptable,†he said.
Mr Oteng-Gyasi that the Political Parties Act have been crafted to allow foreigners to fund political parties and also make donations to the Electoral Commission to be accessed by the political parties.
“Why should we make rules with one hand and undo them with the other,†he stated, adding that “I believe this is due to our lack of confidence in our inability to finance the expensive business of multi-party democracy which we have chosen for ourselves.â€
Mr Oteng-Gyasi therefore proposed a special tax to fund political activities in the country.
“With our ten million adults even a one cedi tax could raise ten million cedis each year.
This money could be seed money for a democracy fund, which will be allocated to the political parties according to an agreed formula,†he stated.
The Business magnate regretted that a country which claimed to have had its development derailed by foreign finance of the overthrow of its first republic would encourage foreign funding of political activity in the laws of the country, saying one would expect strong laws against foreign financing of political parties.
Mr Oteng-Gyasi encouraged the political parties to build a broad-based party where people in the grassroots could also contribute to finance the party.
He opined that the political parties could mobilize resources within the country from business magnates to finance their programmes and campaigns as was done during the liberation struggle.
Mr Oteng-Gyasi particularly mentioned Paa Grant; a business tycoon funded the liberation struggle agenda for the country to attain independence, albeit his efforts were not rewarded by the CPP government.
He appealed to the political parties to cut their expenditure on campaigns.
This, he said, could achieve by limiting the number of billboards and posters by their presidential candidates and also reducing the political season by the Electoral Commission.
He also said expenditure on the electioneering process could be reduced, if a law was promulgated to make it compulsory for the media both print and electronic to allocate air time or space to political parties during the campaign season.
The Director of the IAS, Professor Akosua Adomako Ampofo in her opening remarks said the lecture created a platform to highlight not only the diversity, resilience and innovation of African businesses in Africa, but also provided an opportunity to look outside the proverbial boxes and see the synergies between ideas and practice.
She commended AngloGold Ashanti for its immense support to the IAS, particularly instituting the Kwame Nkrumah Chair in honour of Dr Nkrumah for his contributions to the liberation of African continent.
The Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu who chaired the programme appealed to other corporate organizations to emulate the gesture of AngloGold and partner the University to promote research, saying “come and take advantage of our knowledge, while we also take advantage of your resources.â€
“Apart from the undue influence which foreign financing gives non-citizens, it is also dangerous to hinge our democracy on the generosity of foreigners,†he stated at the Second AngloGold (Ghana) Lecture on ‘Business in Africa’ at the Institute of African Studies (IAS), of the University of Ghana in Accra on Tuesday.
According to Mr Oteng-Gyasi it was rumoured that during election time political parties brought in money from other countries such as Nigeria, Burkina Faso and Ivory Coast,and to as far as Congo and Dubai.
Speaking on the topic, Financiers of Political Change in Ghana, Heroes and Villains, he observed that the usage of foreign funds to fund political parties was inconsistent with the 1992 Constitution and quoted Article 55 of the Constitution which states that it is only a citizen of Ghana who can make contribution or donation to a political party registered in Ghana.â€
He stressed that the just ended district level elections gave credence to the fact that the country’s democracy could not depend be hinged on the largesse of foreign donors.
“It seems we have allowed resigned ourselves to having foreigners fund our political activity. For a people who funded virtually all political activity leading to, and including our independence struggle ourselves, this is simply unacceptable,†he said.
Mr Oteng-Gyasi that the Political Parties Act have been crafted to allow foreigners to fund political parties and also make donations to the Electoral Commission to be accessed by the political parties.
“Why should we make rules with one hand and undo them with the other,†he stated, adding that “I believe this is due to our lack of confidence in our inability to finance the expensive business of multi-party democracy which we have chosen for ourselves.â€
Mr Oteng-Gyasi therefore proposed a special tax to fund political activities in the country.
“With our ten million adults even a one cedi tax could raise ten million cedis each year.
This money could be seed money for a democracy fund, which will be allocated to the political parties according to an agreed formula,†he stated.
The Business magnate regretted that a country which claimed to have had its development derailed by foreign finance of the overthrow of its first republic would encourage foreign funding of political activity in the laws of the country, saying one would expect strong laws against foreign financing of political parties.
Mr Oteng-Gyasi encouraged the political parties to build a broad-based party where people in the grassroots could also contribute to finance the party.
He opined that the political parties could mobilize resources within the country from business magnates to finance their programmes and campaigns as was done during the liberation struggle.
Mr Oteng-Gyasi particularly mentioned Paa Grant; a business tycoon funded the liberation struggle agenda for the country to attain independence, albeit his efforts were not rewarded by the CPP government.
He appealed to the political parties to cut their expenditure on campaigns.
This, he said, could achieve by limiting the number of billboards and posters by their presidential candidates and also reducing the political season by the Electoral Commission.
He also said expenditure on the electioneering process could be reduced, if a law was promulgated to make it compulsory for the media both print and electronic to allocate air time or space to political parties during the campaign season.
The Director of the IAS, Professor Akosua Adomako Ampofo in her opening remarks said the lecture created a platform to highlight not only the diversity, resilience and innovation of African businesses in Africa, but also provided an opportunity to look outside the proverbial boxes and see the synergies between ideas and practice.
She commended AngloGold Ashanti for its immense support to the IAS, particularly instituting the Kwame Nkrumah Chair in honour of Dr Nkrumah for his contributions to the liberation of African continent.
The Acting Pro-Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Professor Yaa Ntiamoa-Baidu who chaired the programme appealed to other corporate organizations to emulate the gesture of AngloGold and partner the University to promote research, saying “come and take advantage of our knowledge, while we also take advantage of your resources.â€
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