A study by the Centre for Democratic Development Ghana (CDD) has revealed that nine individuals allegedly engaged in illicit activities funded political parties in the 2020 elections.

These activities include illegal mining popularly known as galamsey, illegal oil distribution, and fraudulent business.

The financiers are said to have funded the campaign with the aim of making friends to ensure the sustenance of business should the recipient of the funds win the polls.

The study was carried out through three methods;

“Tier 1 - Desk research, literature review, newspaper content analysis

• From financing of political parties/electoral campaigns from United Gold Coast Convention (1947 – 1992)
• Tier 2 – Fieldwork, exploratory, focus on NDC and NPP (2000 – 2016 elections)
• Four regions: Greater Accra, Eastern, Ashanti, Western
• 40 informants/party insiders/private sector

Fieldwork – Dec 8, 2020 – Jan 8, 2021

• Tier 3 – Validation of findings (politicians, financiers, leadership of parties, state enforcement and regulatory bodies.
• 60 participants

Follow up interviews are said to have been conducted with 12 identified financiers as subjects.

Financiers were limited to persons capable of contributing at least &100,000 either in cash or in kind.

Nine identified financiers are said to have been engaged in illegal activities including galamsey, illegal oil distribution (bunkering), fraudulent business, procurement infractions and its associated kickbacks from the award of contracts.

On why some of these persons funded the parties and candidates, the following responses were obtained

“I finance political party activity and candidates-…”

“To build contacts and to sustain my business under every government.”

“As a businessman, you finance the parties to stay in business under every government. This has engineered friends for me in both NDC and NPP in every part of Ghana so I'm able to get favours everywhere. “

"Yes, I did get contracts under all of them, but I got the most contracts under the late President John Evans Atta Mills government, but not much under former President Kufour...Aside from the benefits, I get as a result of my party financing,

"I believe the quality of my work, duration of delivery also contributes to the reason I get many contracts under the various governments.

“I finance candidates for president and parliament on the ticket of both the NDC and NPP to ensure I get new contracts and protect the contracts I received from a previous government if there is a change of government. So far, things have been good for me and my business."

"As a businessman, you don't really have a choice, they (candidates and parties) don't force you to finance them but once they approach you to make a demand.... you don't want to take the risk of your business struggling in case they win.

"Once they approach you, you must find the money and give it to them. It is difficult to get contracts from a government that doesn't consider you as one of them so your past financial support to them is what can influence them to give you deals and contracts."

At least $100 million was also found as the amount needed for a person to have a shot at the presidency and ¢4 million as the said amount needed to run in primaries and MP elections.