The Electoral Commission of Ghana has indicated that the 2016 presidential and parliamentary general elections could cost the country about GH¢1.2billion, which will make it the most expensive elections in the history of the country.
The figure is far in excess of the GH¢800million ceiling set by the Finance Ministry for the elections, leaving a huge funding gap of GH¢400million.
The Chair of the Commission, Charlotte Osei who presented the Commission’s budget estimates to Parliament on Thursday, said its budget was premised on 30,000 polling stations for an election that will involve about 152,000 election officials.
“We also premised the budget on an exchange rate of GH¢3.89 to a dollar. The total budget for the elections is GH¢1.047billion. If we include the administration and other costs that are not directly election related, it gives us a budget of GH¢1.2billion. In the budget ceilings we have as announced by the Finance Ministry, we have a budget of GH¢800 million for the elections — for the first round. So this gives us a funding gap of GH¢400million.
“This budget does not include the cost of a new register; the cost of auditing a new register. There is some provision for a run-off; the Ministry of Finance made a provision of GH¢200million. I think we have a budget of about GH¢350million, so there is another shortfall there. However, the budget makes provision for all the reforms we have agreed with the political parties
“Since announcement of the ceiling, we have been looking internally and discussing how to bridge the budget gap; and subject to the agreement with the IPAC (Inter Party Advisory Committee), we think we may be able to reduce the number of polling stations to 29,000 instead of the projected 30,000,” she said.
According to the EC boss, the Commission could cut the cost of the election budget by about GH¢60million if the number of polling stations is reduced to 29,000 and still be able to achieve the Commission’s objective of having 850 voters per polling station.
She said the Commission is also looking at postponing the implementation of some recommended electoral reforms that are not critical to beyond 2016, in a bid to bridge the funding gap in the elections’ budget.
The Minority leader, Osei Kyei Mensah Bonsu, on the floor of Parliament expressed concern over the EC’s budget, saying the cost of conducting elections in Ghana is consistently increasing.
However, the Electoral Commission explained that the seemingly astronomical increase in the cost of running general elections is due to depreciation of the cedi.
For instance, in the 2008 elections that involved 23,500 polling stations, the Electoral Commission spent GH¢160.5million which at the then-prevailing exchange rate came to US$133.8million; and in the 2012 general elections, involving 26,002 polling stations, the cost of the elections was GH¢400.8million at a prevailing exchange rate of US$267.2million.
“In 2016, with 30,000 polling stations the cost of the elections is GH¢1.047billion. At current the exchange rate, it is US$269million so there is only a US$2million increase. Some of the key drivers for the increase is of course the increase in number of polling stations, which also means an increase in the number of election officials; technology cost, including data centre management systems; and the biometric verification device, voter management system among others,” she said.
Mrs. Osei expressed optimism that the huge funding gap of about GH¢400 million will be bridged by the Finance Ministry as the country prepares for next year’s general elections, the first to be presided over by the current EC boss.
She said in a interview: “The Minister (Finance) has assured us that whatever it takes they will make sure they get us the funding we need. But as a commission, we are also looking internally at other means of how we can bridge the gap without sacrificing key elements which would make for a successful credible process”.
The Mahama Administration has pledged to provide enough resources for the EC’s activities next year as stakes are high in the 2016 elections, with the main opposition parties pushing for a new voters’ register in what they argue will ensure the elections’ sanctity.
Finance Minister Seth Terkper, in presenting the 2016 budget on the floor of Parliament, talked of the importance of next year’s general elections — for which reason adequate support must be extended to the Electoral Commission.
“2016 is significant in many respects: the country will go through presidential and parliamentary elections. Let me assure this House and the nation that the Electoral Commission and other governance institutions will be adequately resourced to ensure the conduct of free, fair and transparent elections,” Mr. Terkper indicated.
Government, in the 2016 budget statement, approved a budget of GH¢800million to finance activities of the Electoral Commission next year.
Mrs. Osei also told Parliament that the Commission wants the date for the presidential and parliamentary elections to be brought forward from the publicised December 7th to November 7th, in order to allow for more time between elections and inauguration on 7th January.
She said a Legislative Instrument to give legal backing to the proposal is at an advanced stage.