Chapter 5 and are consigned to repaying their debts on their own while in opposition. In addition, the under-resourced circumstances of the law enforcement agencies render them incapable of investigating and unravelling financial misconduct by politicians. Going into elections, the fear of financial loss also adds to the acrimonious relations among parties and also among candidates in internal and inter-party elections. Thirdly, given that the administrative districts are the lower level tiers of local government, hosting town/area councils as well as unit committees, mobilization at the district and community levels is quite crucial for election success. However, the political party laws perceive partisan politics at the district level as divisive and a threat to internal cohesion within the district. As a result, political parties are not allowed to take part in political leadership selection at the district level. There may be merit in this dispensation because, for example, certain opinion leaders such as chiefs and eminent senior citizens who cannot go through the rigours of political campaigning are given the opportunity to bring their expertise and experience to bear on the local governance process without partisan politicking. At the same time, banning partisan politics at the grassroots presents yet another political paradox and a recipe for conflict 54 because, for example, youth mobilized for electoral campaigning in the districts increasingly and violently turn to the district assemblies and other public institutions in the districts for jobs. In the current administration, the country has witnessed cases of grassroots supporters of the ruling NDC party violently demanding the removal of District Chief Executives and/or heads 54 These are also referred to as footsoldiers in Ghanaian politics. They constitute the informal campaign personnel recruited by party officials to ensure that party information reaches the grassroots. Their diverse operations permit people of various backgrounds to be recruited into this group of party functionaries – muscle men, former security officers, etc. 150