NDC Presidential aspirants to pay GH₵400k as filing fee

The National Democratic Congress (NDC) has decided that presidential aspirants in the up-coming primary should pay GH₵400,000 as a filing fee.

At a National Executive Committee (NEC) meeting Thursday morning, the party agreed that nomination forms should sell at GH¢20,000.

However, female candidates will pay 50 per cent less [GH¢200,000] of the filing fee whilst there is an additional reduction for aspirants with physical disabilities [GH¢150,000].

The party has agreed to hold the presidential primary on January 19, 2019.

The nomination will be opened on Monday, December 3 and Tuesday, December 4 and that aspirants who pick the nomination forms would have to file them on December 13 and 14.

Addressing a press conference at the party's headquarters after the NEC meeting, the General Secretary, Mr Johnson Asiedu Nketia explained each aspirant is supposed to get two people to endorse the nomination in each constituency Graphic Online's Gertrude Ankah Nyavi reports.

This means a total of 558 signatures are needed for each aspirant.

There should be three proposers, five seconders and the qualification criteria is in line with what is recommended by 1992 constitution for the office of president except that an aspirant must be a member of the NDC for more 10 years and contributed to the building of the party.

A 7-member committee will vet the aspirants and the winner would have to obtain valid votes of 50 per cent plus one and that proxy voting would not be entertained, Mr Asiedu Nketia explained.

There will be a total of 276 voting centres across the country and over 260, 00 delegates will be expected to vote.

The General Secretary further called for civility in campaigning, stressing that aspirant that will be engage in insults will be disqualified by the vetting committee.

Meanwhile the party will be having a thanksgiving service at the Pentecost church in Nungua for a successful congress on December 2, 2018.