A private attorney, Mrs Gloria Ofori-Boadu has proclaimed that the money politics of deciding election outcomes in Ghana exists.
Political aspirants, she said, have to provide for delegates during campaign periods.
Mr Ofori-Boadu made the statement while taking part in a discussion on TV3's Agenda programme on October 14.
She contested the primary election in the Abuakwa Constituency on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) ticket in 2016 and 2024 but failed.
"During campaigning, the delegates became like family, and some of them who lost their loved ones we helped them buy coffins and school fees payment as well as general family and home bills," she disclosed.
Mrs Ofori-Boadu also added that, "it was quite a lot. Day by day, you have people who call to greet you and sometimes they make a contribution."
She noted that there are grounds to prove that in Ghana, elections are won by whoever spends the largest amount of money during campaigning.
"In Ghana, all the time, the highest bidder wins. That is the norm," she stressed.
The Agenda program debate is in the background that the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) last September revealed that the cost of gaining a presidential victory in Ghana has risen to over $200 million.
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At an Open Society forum in Accra on September 15, 2025, CDD-Ghana Executive Director Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh warned that the rising expense of conducting elections risks keeping qualified leaders out who lack access to bountiful resources.
He explained that this development portends grave implications for the inclusivity and viability of Ghana's democratic process.
"I think you'd require something in the order of $200 million to win a presidential race. How many of you present here are going to be part of that class or cohort of candidates? Even at the primary or parliamentary level, it is almost impossible for the majority of you," said Prof. Prempeh.
He also cautioned that these trends disempower Ghana's struggle for democracy and prosperity, noting that politics could be frozen in place for the affluent and well-connected.
"We can't have that type of democracy and expect it is developmental. We therefore have to care about how we finance campaigns and how we manage our internal party democracy," he further said.
CDD-Ghana's caution is however on the heels of rising campaign finance issues, with civil society calling for stringent regulation to ensure fairness, accountability, and inclusivity in the political process.Mrs Ofori-Boadu also added that, "it was quite a lot. Every day you get people calling to say hello and once a while they chip in."
She pointed out that there is evidence to indicate that elections in Ghana are won by people who spend the most during campaigning.
"Ghana, all the time, always the highest bidder wins. That is the norm," she emphasized.
The controversy surrounding the Agenda programme is against the backdrop that in September last year, the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD-Ghana) revealed that the cost of winning a presidential election in Ghana had risen to over $200 million.
Speaking at an Open Society gathering in Accra on September 15, 2025, CDD-Ghana Executive Director Professor H. Kwasi Prempeh warned the expense of elections could exclude talented leaders who are not well-endowed with resources.
He explained that the trend raised fundamental questions regarding the sustainability and openness of Ghana's democratic process.
"I think you would need about $200 million to fund a presidential race. How many of you here are going to be ever in that class or group of candidates? Even at the primary or parliamentary level, it is virtually impossible for most of you," Prof. Prempeh added.
He also cautioned that such tendencies discredit Ghana's journey towards democracy and prosperity, reiterating that politics will be locked up for the rich and the well-connected.
"We can't have that kind of a democracy and be expecting that it's developmental. So, we have to care about campaign finance and how we do our internal party democracy," he added.
CDD-Ghana’s warning comes amid growing concerns about campaign financing, with civil society groups calling for stricter regulations to ensure fairness, accountability, and inclusivity in the political system.