Former Member of Parliament (MP) for Amenfi Central in the Western Region, George Kofi Arthur, has revealed that it costs at least GHS 500,000 to contest a seat.
He claims that the cost of buying forms alone is GHS 2,000 and that submitting also costs GHS 25,000, plus extra expenses.
He went on to say that politics has grown so expensive that it will be difficult for graduates to run for a parliamentary seat in the coming years.
On Adom FM’s Burning Issues hosted by Akua Boakyewaa Yiadom, the former MP made this shocking revelation.
“If care is not taken, no graduate will be able to contest for MP in the next coming years. He will need not less than GHS 500,000 which is five billion to be able to contest and I can break it down for you to understand.
“You need GHS 2,000 to buy the form and filing it is also GHS 25,000 – regionals, 5,000 Constituency 5,000 which is 35,000. After that there comes primaries which also demand posters, vehicles and other things then EC comes in. After all these expenses and you lose, everything goes waste,” he explained
MPs, according to Mr Arthur, are the ones who suffer the most when national executives are mentioned.
He said MPs fund their activities from the meager salaries they receive and financial pressure from the public makes matters worse.
“Although we are holders of the article 71 we are those who suffer a lot, has the public asked how we fuel our cars? The same people who wished my loss as MP also wish I get it back after I lost it.
“Have you ever heard of parliament embarking on strike before? Let parliament go on strike and let’s see what happens. What we are going through the public don’t see,” he lamented.
He made this statement after Ghanaians started to question why MPs receive ex-gratia every four years.
The backlash began when Togbe Afede XIV returned the 360k ex-gratia he received recently.