The Jean Mensah-led Electoral Commission (EC), yesterday, September 14, announced an increment in the filing fees for presidential and parliamentary candidates for the December 7 elections.
Announcing a 100% increase, the EC said the political parties will cough up GH¢ 100,000.00 and GH¢ 10,000.00 for presidential and parliamentary forms respectively.
Since the amendment of the 1992 constitution, of which nominations fall under its electoral laws, filing fees have evolved.
Back in 1992, under the supervision of Justice Josiah Ofori Boateng, the EC charged GH¢ 500.00 for Presidential nominations and GH¢ 20.00 for parliamentary.
Fast forward to 1996, 2000 and 2004 elections which succeeded the routine nomination filing, Dr Kwadwo Afari-Gyan, who headed the EC, maintained the GH¢ 500.00 and GH¢ 20.00 filing fees for presidential and parliamentary forms respectively.
Not long after the Ghana Cedi was redenominated in 2007, Dr Afari-Djan in 2008 increased the fee to GH¢ 5,000.00 for presidential and GH¢ 500.00 for parliamentary was maintained up to 2012.
However, in 2016, Mrs Charlotte Osei, after she was appointed first female EC boss in Ghana, announced a massive increment to GH¢ 50,000.00 for presidential and GH¢ 10,000.00 for parliamentary.
Mrs Jean Mensa, who took off from where Mrs Osei left, also towed that line by announcing a 100% increment in presidential filing fee from GH¢ 50,000.00 to GH¢ 100,000.00 but maintained the GH¢ 10,000 for parliamentary.
| ELECTORAL COMMISSION (YEAR) | PRESIDENTIAL NOMINATION FEE | PARLIAMENTARY NOMINATION FEE |
| 1992 | GHS 500 | GHS 20 |
| 1996 | GHS 500 | GHS 20 |
| 2000 | GHS 500 | GHS 20 |
| 2004 | GHS 500 | GHS 20 |
| 2008 | GHS 5,000 | GHS 500 |
| 2012 | GHS 5,000 | GHS 500 |
| 2016 | GHS 50,000 | GHS 10,000 |
| 2020 | GHS 100,000 | GHS 10,000 |