Former National Chairman of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Freddie Blay, has reignited the conversation on political party financing, stressing the need for a transparent and sustainable funding model to support Ghana’s democratic development.
Speaking on GHOne TV with Serwaa Amihere monitored by MyNewsGH, Blay recounted past efforts to secure state support for political parties, which were shot down at the time.
“I do remember that when I was a Member of Parliament, we brought it up — an application that we should have some of the parties funded. Brother Sam, then the Attorney General and Minister of Foreign Affairs, said no, they won’t agree,” he recalled.
According to him, the momentum to implement party funding remained low even when the political landscape shifted and the opportunity arose again under a new administration.
“Maybe when we also came into power later, some people said no. They were not enthusiastic. They didn’t know there would be a rainy day,” he said.
Blay argued that it was time to take a more forward-thinking and accountable approach to how political parties operate financially, particularly to prevent actions that may later be deemed inappropriate.
“If we have to make sure our parties don’t engage in activities that cannot be defended, we must find a way — a transparent, open way — of ensuring that the parties are taken care of. It will help the democracy of this country,” he stated.
