A prominent feature in the election season is the massive outdoor campaigns by the various political parties.
This is because outdoor campaigns are inevitable for any well meaning political party seeking power.
In a bid to get their messages across, the political parties also spend huge monies on such activities.
As part of Citi Business News’ series, the Business of Elections, it is emerging that businesses are cashing in on the increased demand this time round.
Checks by Citi Business News also reveal that the political parties spend about 40 percent of their budgets, on outdoor campaigns.
For an ideal campaign in a community park, a political party will have to cough up as much as 15,000 cedis.
This will cater for a platform, sound as well as lighting.
But in case there is the need for a standby generator, the cost is likely to shoot up to about 20,000 cedis.
The Managing Director of Exhibit Limited, an outdoor event organizing company, JB Allotey explained, business has been fruitful this time round compared to the last election period in 2012.
“This year has been much more fruitful as to the number of times that our equipment have been hired; many of the political parties are now inclined towards getting quality due to some unfortunate incidences that some of them encountered due to inferior equipment used in the last election,” he stated.
“On the average we are able to attend to at least two clients every week especially during the last quarter for the year,” he added.
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Interestingly, the rate of discounts has equally increased this time round compared to the last election season.
The apparent reason is the chorus that prices have gone up than anticipated hence increasing the cost of campaigns.
“They claim there isn’t any money in the system so it becomes very difficult for them to pay for the equipment we provide for hiring which is one of the reasons they ask for discounts, some have approached us, we’ve given them the price quotations; some have shunned and never returned but others have gone ahead to engage our services. These complaints however cut across all the political parties,” JB Allotey observed.
For Parliamentary candidates, an outdoor campaign will cost between 5000 and 8000 cedis.
This will comprise of rental space, paraphernalia, platforms as well as cost of transporting supporters to the campaign grounds.
It also emerged that the candidates will usually conduct at least three of such outdoor campaigns which will translate into about 15,000 to 24,000 cedis.
“We embark on three campaigns; usually at the commencement or launch, then two others halfway and few days to election. Since outdoor campaigns are events on their own, we spend about 35% of our campaign budget on outdoor campaigns,” Ben Kweku Asare, Research Assistant to Member of Parliament for Ayawaso West Wuogon constituency, Emmanuel Kyeremanteng Agyarko, told Citi Business News.
But outdoor campaigns conducted at large centres like the stadia and Trade Fair sites will require that the parties dole out as much as 150,000 cedis to meet the need for a quality stage or platform, sound system, security as well as reliable and alternative power supply.
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By: Pius Amihere Eduku/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana
