Former Speaker of Parliament, Professor Aaron Mike Oquaye, has called for stronger institutional reforms to curb the growing monetisation of Ghana’s politics, warning that the influence of money poses a serious threat to the country’s democratic processes.
His comments come amid public debate following the NDC Ayawaso East parliamentary primary, where allegations emerged that some aspirants distributed television sets and other items to delegates, raising concerns about inducement and vote buying.
Speaking to the media on Tuesday, February 10, 2026, on the sidelines of the inception workshop of the European Union-funded WYDE Project in Ghana, Professor Oquaye cautioned against rushing to conclusions on the specific allegations, stressing the need to allow due process to take its course.
“Now it is a matter of allegation. As a lawyer, I don’t want to rush into conclusions just like that. But the fact is that there is an enquiry put together to look into the matter and then impose some sanctions. Let us wait and see what happens,” he said.
Beyond the Ayawaso East incident, the former Speaker argued that the issue of money in politics was systemic and required broader reforms rather than focusing solely on individual cases.
“But I am not talking about an individual issue. Those MPs you see there, didn’t they give money? So, I want the whole system to be purified, more than individual sanctioning. We must bring out systems to ensure that it doesn’t happen again,” he stated.
Professor Oquaye emphasised that strengthening regulatory frameworks and enforcement mechanisms was critical to protecting the integrity of Ghana’s electoral and democratic institutions, adding that sustainable reforms were needed to restore public confidence in the political process.
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