New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer hopeful Kwabena Agyei Agyepong has strongly criticized the GH¢4.6 million “development fee” being imposed on presidential aspirants, describing it as an unfair and unconstitutional burden.

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Agyepong said the fee was “morally indefensible” and amounted to creating needless financial obstacles for contenders in the primaries.

“There is a clear attempt to reintroduce a levy that the National Executive Committee had already rejected. At that meeting, some regional chairmen were even suggesting GH¢10 million or GH¢5 million. I was stunned. Do they understand the realities of the country to even propose such sums?” he asked.

He explained that the committee’s final decision was GH¢100,000 for nomination forms and GH¢500,000 as a filing fee—nothing more.

“In any political party, the cost of running presidential primaries is the responsibility of the party, not the aspirants. So to suddenly introduce a development fee is shocking,” Agyepong stressed.

He further argued that the party’s constitution gives the National Council no mandate to impose additional charges.

“The National Council’s role is simply to fix the date for primaries. It cannot set financial barriers. This practice is wrong and sends a signal that only the wealthy can aspire to leadership. That is not the NPP tradition,” he maintained.

Agyepong dismissed claims that some aspirants could easily afford the fee. “I know every one of them. They all joined the party after me.

Who among them had more resources than I did? I have run this party before and I know what it takes to organize primaries. Don’t tell me a governing party of eight years has no funds.

There are always legitimate ways to raise money.”

He added that his sacrifices and contributions to the NPP over the years should not be ignored.

“The GH¢4.6 million cannot be a tool for disqualification. I have paid what is constitutionally required. Why impose such an extra levy? What kind of message are we sending to Ghanaians?” he questioned.

The NPP recently opened nominations, pegging the cost of forms at GH¢100,000, filing fee at GH¢500,000, and a newly added GH¢4.6 million development fee. But Agyepong insists that the imposition is baseless, unconstitutional, and must be scrapped.