Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Emmanuel Victor Smith, has called on citizens to prioritise integrity and reject transactional politics, warning that the strength of the nation’s democracy hinges on ethical conduct both at the ballot box and in public office.

His comments follow reports that delegates in the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primary for Ayawaso East on Saturday, February 7, were reportedly offered 32-inch television sets by the campaign team of aspirant Baba Jamal Mohammed Ahmed in exchange for votes.

Speaking on Monday, February 9, Ambassador Smith noted that political corruption often starts during election campaigns, with gifts, money, or other inducements used to influence voter choices.

“Accepting inducements undermines accountability, and offering inducements erodes integrity,” he said.

“If we truly desire honest leadership, both voters and politicians must reject the politics of gifts and embrace the politics of conscience.”

He stressed that free and fair elections are inseparable from effective governance.

“Elections should never be auctions. A corrupted mandate leads to corrupted governance. Public office must never become a business venture that extracts profit from the suffering of citizens,” he added.

Ambassador Smith further urged law enforcement agencies to act decisively against any form of voter inducement, appealing to Ghanaians to uphold the principle that democracy should be guided by moral conviction rather than material reward.