Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Emmanuel Victor Smith, has sounded the alarm on the practice of offering money or gifts to influence voters, saying it lays the groundwork for corruption long before public office is won.
Speaking amid reports of alleged vote-buying during the Ayawaso East NDC primaries, where a candidate was accused of giving out 32-inch TVs and boiled eggs during the process, Smith stressed that such actions should not be viewed as generosity or goodwill. Instead, he described them as investments made with the expectation of future favors once candidates are elected.
According to the ambassador, this kind of transactional politics undermines democratic values and sets the stage for leaders to prioritise repaying campaign supporters over serving the public interest. He argued that tolerating inducements at the polling station makes tackling corruption later in office far more difficult.
Smith urged both politicians and voters to reject inducement-based politics and embrace ethical leadership. He also called on law enforcement and relevant authorities to take action when vote-buying occurs, insisting that elections should never become auctions where votes are sold to the highest bidder.