Ghana’s US Ambassador Warns Against Vote-Buying
Ghana’s Ambassador to the United States, Emmanuel Victor Smith, has warned against the dangers of vote-buying, describing the practice as the foundation of systemic corruption that begins even before candidates assume public office.
His comments follow allegations of vote-buying during the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries held on February 7.
During the exercise, Baba Jamal was accused of distributing 32-inch television sets to voters and boiled eggs to delegates after voting had already commenced. The alleged giveaways reportedly led to jostling among some voters as they scrambled to receive the items.
Speaking on the issue on Monday, February 9, 2026, Ambassador Smith stressed that the distribution of money, gifts, or favours during election campaigns should not be mistaken for generosity, but rather seen as an investment made with expectations of future returns—an approach that ultimately breeds corrupt governance.
“When money or gifts are used to influence voters, we must call it what it truly is: corruption in its earliest form. It is not generosity. It is not kindness. It is an investment,” he said.
He explained that once candidates who engage in vote-buying gain political office, governance often shifts away from public service toward recovering campaign expenses, rewarding financiers, and pursuing personal gain, with the public purse effectively becoming the reimbursement account.
“Vote-buying does not merely distort elections; it manufactures corruption after elections. Fighting corruption only in government contracts while tolerating it at the ballot box is self-deception,” Ambassador Smith added.
He called for a national appreciation of the fact that accepting inducements weakens accountability, while offering them erodes integrity.
The ambassador urged both politicians and voters to reject the politics of inducement and instead embrace a politics of conscience to safeguard Ghana’s democracy and promote honest leadership.
Referencing the Ayawaso East by-election, Ambassador Smith cautioned that the open distribution of televisions, motorcycles, or cash to voters must be recognised as corruption, adding that law enforcement agencies should take appropriate action when such acts occur.
“Elections should never be auctions,” he reminded, quoting Singapore’s founding Prime Minister, Lee Kuan Yew.
