Bribery or any attempt to unduly influence an officer of the Electoral Commission of Ghana is a crime under the electoral laws of the country.
The laws governing elections in Ghana state that anybody found “guilty of treating, bribery, intimidation, threats or undue influence” during an electoral process “faces a fine of GH¢100 or to a year of imprisonment”.
Yet, on too many occasions, individuals have been caught red-handed giving money and other items to electoral officials. These instances become a topic of public discussion, but no one is punished. Even politicians who engage in such acts defend their actions, claiming there is nothing wrong with giving money to EC officials on election day.
At least two prominent members of the incumbent New Patriotic Party have been caught giving money to electoral officials recently.
A member of the communication team of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Courage Makafiji Nunekpeku, during the Assin North by-election in July 2023, alleged that he caught the former general secretary of the NPP, John Boadu, attempting to influence officials of the EC.
He stated that after confronting John Boadu, the former NPP general secretary told him that the EC official was his in-law whom he had not seen for a long time, and that was why he was giving him the money.
The former general secretary, after the alleged incident, was captured in a viral video admitting that he gave money to an official of the EC.
An animated John Boadu, however, indicated that the EC official he gave the money to was his family relation. He added that there is nothing wrong with giving people money to win their support during elections.
“The machete and thing that they (the NDC) were sharing, what was it about? They have been sharing things all over the place, and they would turn around to come and complain… I came from Fosu this morning; about 20 people came to me telling me they were going to vote; wouldn’t I give them transportation to come?
“They were sharing things all over the place, didn’t you see samples of it? What is all this childishness? I went to a polling station, I saw somebody who is my brother, and he may likely not see me again; so if I give him money, what is wrong with that,” he said.
Professor Kingsley Nyarko:
Professor Kingsley Nyarko, the New Patriotic Party‘s (NPP) Member of Parliament for Kwadaso, has also been caught giving money to EC officials.
The legislator was captured offering an envelope to the Electoral Commission officials at the Fumesua Pentecost Church Polling Station in the Ejisu constituency during the April 30, 2024 by-election for the constituency.
In a video of the incident, the MP was seen interacting with the electoral officials and removing an envelope from his pocket.
He attempted to hand the envelope to the EC officials, who did not accept it. The MP then placed the envelope on the table of the EC official before walking away.
The EC has confirmed that the incident took place but did not make any mention of the MP. It stated that the man captured in the video was giving its officers money for lunch.
The commission has stated that it has begun engaging the Ghana Police Service to initiate criminal proceedings on the matter.
The MP has also stated that he did nothing wrong and that it was never his intention to influence the officers.
