POLITICAL CLASS OVERMILKING THE COW

.... Political Funding in the Offing

If you ever thougth the political class were done milking our revenue dry ;reconsider because they just about to begin. There are feveresh attempts to pass a bill that will authorise tha funding of political parties by the state. After failing to get public support for the idea o fund political parties over the years the cunning groups of Ghanaian politicians have recruited and co-opted very powerful authorities in national affairs to make a case in favour spending state money on political parties. Without any shock ,all the parties with the singular exception of the CPP concurred and stated that it was even long overdue.This was one of the few issues that is bound to elicit unfettered agreement among the parties. In the history of the forth republic the only isues thah is guaranteed to bring agreement among the political class is when resouces are being shared among them. The disturbing fact is the attitude of the so-called "intelligensia" to such a scandalous proposition.Spearheaded by the Institute of Economic Affairs and Centre for Democratic Development, the academics and researchers have been on the the publicity offensive on the importance of "supporting our young democracy" by funding our parties. They have eulogizing on the importance of building our democratic development. Already the state subsidize some activities of the political parties through the elctoral commission and the response of the parties is to flout all the rules taht are required of them such as filing annual report at the electoral commission. The behavoiur of the parties has ruled them out of any consideration for such largesse.They are grossly unacountable and when they wish tehy raise and spend money in very unaccountable manner.A case in point is the just ended NPP presidential race where very huge sums were spent by all the candidates involved in the contests. The level of spending was so mind boggling that even some respected NPP memebers openly questioned the source of the dizzying amounts being spent. I reckon the NPP flagbearership campaign cost the candidates about $20m.