The Dean of the School of Law at the University of Ghana, Prof. Raymond Atuguba, has expressed deep concerns about the prevalent influence of money in Ghanaian politics.
He believes this undermines democracy by allowing governance to be auctioned to the highest bidder.
Prof. Atuguba noted that the infusion of substantial funds into political campaigns, sourced both locally and internationally, weakens elected leaders.
According to him, these leaders end up indebted to their investors, who expect quick returns on their investments, thereby twisting governance priorities.
“Once in power, the first order of business for these leaders is to repay their debts with interest, using state resources. This naturally leads to a misallocation of funds that should benefit the public,” he explained during the interview conducted on Thursday, May 2, 2024, on the AM Show.
He pointed out that the funds used to repay these debts often change government focus away from public service towards preparing for the next electoral battle, with increased expectations from the populace after a term in office.
In a detailed discussion on JoyNews’ AM Show, Prof. Atuguba explained the darker side of this political funding, where it needs assembling teams of legal, financial, and media experts not primarily for governance but to shield the ruling party from the consequences of their compromised election methods.
This diversion of resources, he argues, leaves little for improving the lives of ordinary citizens.
He added with a stern warning about the continuous nature of this problem, stating, “Unless we overhaul the framework of our election financing, we are doomed to repeat these cycles indefinitely.
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Source: Comfort Sweety Hayford/ATLFMNEWS
