New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential aspirant, Kwabena Agyei Agyepong, has expressed strong disapproval of the GH¢4.6 million development fee being charged by the party from its presidential aspirants.

Speaking in an interview on Adom FM’s morning show Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Agyepong described the fee as “morally wrong” and a clear attempt to place unnecessary financial barriers on aspirants.

“There is a subtle attempt to bring back a fee that was rejected at the National Executive Committee meeting. At that meeting, some regional chairmen even suggested GH¢10 million, and another said GH¢5 million. I was shocked. Do they even appreciate what is happening in the country, to mention such huge sums?” he asked.

According to him, the committee had agreed on GH¢100,000 for nomination forms and GH¢500,000 as a filing fee, but not any additional development fee.

“If you are running presidential primaries, it is not the candidates who are supposed to finance the primaries. It is the party’s responsibility to do that. So I was shocked when this so-called development fee appeared,” he stressed.

Mr. Agyepong further argued that the NPP’s constitution does not give the National Council the power to impose such charges.

“The only role of the National Council is to set the date for the primaries, not to introduce money barriers. It is morally wrong. It means if you don’t have that money, you cannot stand as president. So leadership positions become the preserve of a few,” he said.

He also rejected claims that some aspirants could easily pay the fee.

 “Those who claim they have that money, I know all of them. They even came to meet me in this party, without exception. Who among them can tell me he had more money than me?” he said.

Mr. Agyepong stated that his contributions to the NPP over the years cannot be ignored.

“I have run this party before, and I know what it takes to organise primaries. Don’t tell me a party that has been in power for eight years has no money. There are ways to raise funds. Do they know the contributions I have made? Those making that noise, where were they?” he questioned.

He concluded that the GH¢4.6 million development fee must not be a subject for disqualification.

“I have paid what I am supposed to pay, so why impose such fees on us? What kind of image are we showing Ghanaians?” he asked.

The NPP recently opened nominations for its presidential aspirants, charging GH¢100,000 for nomination forms, GH¢500,000 as a filing fee, and an additional GH¢4.6 million as a development fee.

But Mr. Agyepong insists the National Executive Committee has “no business fixing development fees.”