The African Electoral Institute, a civil society group, has said charging presidential and parliamentary candidates GHS100,000 and GHS10,000 respectively as filing fees is too expensive.

The Electoral Commission recently announced the fees when it outlined the dates and processes for the upcoming 7 December 2024 polls.

Following that announcement, the AEI, in a statement dated 6 August 2024, and co-signed by five officials, said it is of the view that the fees are “on the high side.”

“As the country is seeking to minimise the monetisation of our democracy to create a fair playing ground for all capable citizens to participate in responsible and accountable governance, these high fees have the tendency to deter other equally competent, qualified but financially less-endowed persons from taking part in this all-important democratic exercise,” the Institute warned.

It noted that it is not against the rational for the fee payment,” which may serve to verify candidate’s capacity to mobilise resources,” but noted that “the candidates will need quite a substantial amount of money to campaign after filing their nomination, thus, with this unavoidable amount slapped on them, some may be compelled to go for loans from not-so-ideal sources to finance their presidential or parliamentary ambitions which usually may have dire consequences on the nation.”

As an Institute, AEI said: “We believe there are so many other means to verify candidate’s capacity to contest for elections which then makes us question the need for these huge payments as filling fees.”

AEI said it believes that the EC is independent and can reduce the fees.

“However, if it is not feasible to reduce this amount for the 2024 general elections, then we plead with the Electoral Commission and all stakeholders to relook at these payments and their impact on the outcome of elections in the future. Equally, the Electoral Commission could explore other means by which they can mobilise resources to carry out their activities even if it means including these in their budget for the approval of parliament to enable them to reduce the fees for prospective candidates or from development partners,” it recommended.

The Institute, however, said it “is satisfied with the progress made by the Electoral Commission so far since they rolled out their calendar for the 2024 December 2024 general elections.”