Asiedu Nketia Calls for State Funding of Party Primaries, Cites GH¢14 Million Cost of NDC’s 2014 One-Member-One-Vote Exercise as the National Democratic Congress (NDC) National Chairman urged the government to finance political parties’ internal elections through the Electoral Commission (EC), arguing that the high cost of conducting nationwide one-member-one-vote primaries is unsustainable. Speaking on JoyNews’ PM Express on Tuesday, August 4, 2026, following the Supreme Court’s directive to replace the delegates system with one-member-one-vote, Asiedu Nketia disclosed that the NDC spent approximately GH¢14 million on its 2014 internal elections. He said the state should fund such exercises through the EC to strengthen Ghana’s democracy and ease the financial burden on political parties.
According to Mr. Asiedu Nketia, Ghana’s electoral reforms are intended to deepen democracy by allowing every registered party member to participate in choosing parliamentary and presidential candidates. However, he warned that implementing the system nationwide comes with enormous logistical and financial demands that many political parties may struggle to meet without public support.
Explaining the scale of the 2014 exercise, the NDC Chairman said the party established more than 8,000 polling stations across the country to enable members to vote within their communities. He noted that the exercise involved printing ballot papers, transporting election materials nationwide and paying allowances to Electoral Commission officials who supervised the polls.
“The Electoral Commission didn’t contribute one cedi,” he said, stressing that although the EC managed the elections, the NDC financed virtually every aspect of the nationwide exercise.
Mr. Asiedu Nketia argued that since political parties are effectively helping citizens exercise their constitutional democratic rights, government should make budgetary allocations to the Electoral Commission to conduct internal party elections at no cost to the parties.
“I expect that even though the system is good, since we are being compelled to help citizens exercise their civic and democratic rights, it will serve very well if you ask the state to budget for this exercise so the Electoral Commission can conduct it free of charge,” he stated.
He explained that one-member-one-vote elections require significantly more resources than the delegates system because the number of eligible voters increases dramatically. Unlike delegate conferences involving a relatively small number of voters, nationwide member participation requires millions of ballot papers, thousands of polling stations, election officials and extensive logistics, all of which substantially increase operational costs.
Responding to concerns that state funding could encourage the proliferation of political parties seeking access to public funds, Mr. Asiedu Nketia proposed the establishment of an independent office to regulate political parties. He said such an institution would ensure that only parties that satisfy constitutional requirements and maintain genuine national structures qualify for government support.
According to him, parties seeking public funding should demonstrate active organisational structures across a substantial number of districts before becoming eligible for state assistance. Such a framework, he argued, would prevent abuse while strengthening Ghana’s democratic institutions.
His comments come in the wake of the Supreme Court’s ruling directing political parties to move away from the delegates system and adopt a one-member-one-vote approach within a specified period. The judgment has reignited discussions on the future of internal party democracy, electoral inclusiveness and the financial implications of implementing nationwide internal elections.
Political observers believe the ruling could fundamentally reshape how parties elect parliamentary and presidential candidates by expanding participation beyond selected delegates. Advocates say the new system will reduce the influence of small voting blocs, promote transparency and give ordinary party members a stronger voice in leadership selection. Critics, however, argue that the financial burden could become prohibitive unless sustainable funding mechanisms are introduced.
Mr. Asiedu Nketia maintained that despite the cost, the NDC supports the one-member-one-vote system because it reflects the collective will of party members. He said broader participation often produces stronger and more representative candidates, adding that the party’s previous experience demonstrates that the model is both practical and democratic when adequate resources are available.
The proposal is expected to spark broader national debate among political parties, electoral experts and civil society organisations over whether taxpayers should finance internal party elections. Any move to introduce state funding would likely require legislative approval, clear eligibility criteria and strict accountability measures to ensure public funds are used transparently while strengthening Ghana’s democratic governance.
SEIDU HUBEIDATU