Providing Transport Money is part of politics – Greater Accra Minister

Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda Ocloo, has defended the practice of offering transportation support to voters during elections, insisting it is a long-standing element of political mobilization not vote buying.

Speaking to the media during the parliamentary rerun in Ablekuma North, the Minister responded to allegations that providing “T&T” (transport and travel allowance) to voters amounted to electoral malpractice.

“People need to travel to their polling stations to vote. If someone needs help with transport, supporting them with T&T is not vote buying. If you think it is, you can also go and buy votes—it’s as simple as that,” she remarked.

She argued that the integrity of the vote remains intact, especially when support is given to loyal party members who are already committed to voting for a particular candidate.

“If someone is loyal to you, that person will vote for you—with or without money. Providing transport doesn’t change that,” she said.

She also recalled publicly sharing her phone number on a media platform, which led to calls from voters across the country—from places like Tarkwa and Kumasi—seeking help to return to their polling centers.

“I told them to call me when they arrive, and I’ll provide their T&T. We are not handing out money. We are helping them with transportation. If someone can’t afford to travel to vote and I say, ‘Take a car and I’ll cover the cost,’ how is that vote buying?” she questioned.

The Minister dismissed the criticism as politically driven and pointed out that all major parties, including the NPP, offer similar assistance to their supporters.

“If a person belongs to the NPP, they wouldn’t call me for T&T. So if they reach out, it already tells you they’re aligned with our side. And let’s not pretend people also call the NPP for T&T,” she added.

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