ACCRA — It will cost at least GH¢102,000 just to get on the ballot for National Chairman of Ghana's governing National Democratic Congress (NDC).

The party's Functional Executive Committee (FEC) has approved filing fees for its upcoming national executive elections, released on October 12, 2026. The National Chairman seat carries the highest filing fee at GH¢100,000. On top of that, every aspirant for any position must pay GH¢2,000 for a nomination form.

The schedule covers 14 national positions, from National Chairman down to ordinary membership of the National Executive Committee (NEC), which is the cheapest at GH¢10,000. The party has also set fees for regional and constituency positions, and announced a 50% discount for women and persons with disabilities.

National positions: the full list

Here are the filing fees for all 14 national executive positions. Every aspirant also pays GH¢2,000 for the nomination form.

What it really costs to run

Adding the nomination form, an aspirant's minimum total outlay looks like this:

Those figures cover only the right to contest. They do not include the much larger costs of campaigning: travel to all 16 regions, posters, media, and meeting delegates.

Discount for women and persons with disabilities

Female aspirants and persons with disabilities (PWDs) will pay half the filing fee for all positions except National Women's Organiser and Deputy National Women's Organiser, which have their own special provisions. That means an eligible woman or PWD contesting for National Chairman would pay GH¢50,000 instead of GH¢100,000.

Regional and constituency fees

The party has also set fees for lower levels, and the gap is striking. A national chairman aspirant pays 20 times what a constituency chairman aspirant pays.

Regional level:

  • Regional Chairman: GH¢50,000
  • Vice Chairman, Secretary and Organiser: GH¢30,000 each
  • Treasurer and Communication Officer: GH¢20,000 each
  • Youth Organiser, Women's Organiser and Zongo Caucus Coordinator: GH¢15,000 each
  • Deputy positions: GH¢10,000 each

Constituency level:

  • Constituency Chairman: GH¢5,000
  • Vice Chairman, Secretary and Organiser: GH¢3,000 each
  • Communication Officer: GH¢2,500
  • Deputy and youth representative positions: GH¢1,000 each
  • Other executive member slots: GH¢500 each

The debate over money in party politics

Parties argue that filing fees help fund internal elections and screen out aspirants who are not serious. The discounts for women and PWDs are aimed at widening participation.

But high fees also raise a familiar concern: that party leadership is becoming a contest for those with deep pockets. The debate is especially timely this week, after Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu, a senior NDC figure, warned publicly that money politics is fuelling corruption in Ghana.

For many grassroots members, the question is whether a GH¢100,000 entry fee, before a single campaign poster is printed, leaves room for capable candidates of modest means.

What happens next

With the fees set, aspirants are beginning to declare their interest. Abass Osabutey, for example, has already announced a bid for Deputy National Organiser. More aspirants are expected to come forward for the top positions in the coming weeks.

The party has not yet announced the dates for collecting nomination forms or holding the national executive elections.