Dr. Dickson Adomako Kissi, the Member of Parliament for Anyaa-Sowutuom, has revealed that New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidates spent an average of GH₵10 million each during their campaigns for parliamentary seats.
In an interview on Channel One TV’s The Big Issue on Saturday, December 14, Dr. Adomako Kissi discussed the substantial financial investments made by NPP candidates in their bids for parliament, highlighting the high stakes of Ghana’s political landscape.
While acknowledging the significant financial commitments, the MP expressed concern over the unrealistic expectations placed on candidates by the electorate. He noted that the intense financial strain faced by candidates was particularly painful when election results did not reflect their efforts.
“On average, every NPP Member of Parliament who went into this battle may have spent close to GH₵10 million. From primaries to date, GH₵10 million on average. And that is because they had faith and they felt that they could win. I am not here to add to their injury. It is a very painful thing to invest so much and lose,” he said.
Dr. Adomako Kissi went on to explain the broader challenges facing Ghana’s democracy, stressing the need for a more realistic approach to the expectations placed on candidates. He referenced discussions with fellow MP Henry Quartey, who also expressed concerns that citizens were demanding more than what was realistically possible from their elected officials.
“These are some of the challenges we have with our democracy. And I think that we may have to dial down. The promises were many, but who caused it?” he added, emphasizing the difficulty of meeting the often inflated expectations set during campaigns.
