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Sunday, 23 August 2026
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Sunday, 23 August 2026
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Ghanaian press · Organization

IMANI Africa

IMANI Africa — think tank that examines policy across infrastructure, gold management, waste, and democratic governance, led by Franklin Cudjoe with Vice President Kofi Bentil.

2026-05-022026-08-23

In coverage

Verbatim sentences from the source article.

  1. May 2026
  2. Akosombo Dam returns to full capacity after fire damage bypass

    1. Joy Online

      However, Lawyer and Senior Vice-President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has criticised authorities over what he describes as “insincere” communication regarding the persistent power outages.

      Clear leadership demonstrated in managing recent power crisis – Dr Theo Acheampong
    2. Joy Online

      Lawyer and Senior Vice President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has attributed Ghana’s recurring energy challenges to political interference rather than weak technical leadership.

      Energy sector woes stem from political interference, not leadership failure — Kofi Bentil
    3. Joy Online

      Lawyer and Senior Vice-President of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil, has criticised authorities over what he describes as “insincere” communication regarding Ghana’s persistent power outages.

      Communication around power outages has been ‘insincere’— Kofi Bentil
Politics

NDC government not trying hard enough on galamsey – Kofi Bentil

The News

Vice President of IMANI Africa Kofi Bentil has criticised the current government's approach to tackling illegal small-scale mining, arguing it is not doing enough compared to the previous Akufo-Addo administration, which tried but ultimately failed. He called for a more comprehensive response, questioning whether economic interests are influencing the government's enforcement efforts.

20 hours ago · Joy Online

Yesterday

  1. NDC government not trying hard enough on galamsey – Kofi Bentil

    Vice President of IMANI Africa Kofi Bentil has criticised the current government's approach to tackling illegal small-scale mining, arguing it is not doing enough compared to the previous Akufo-Addo administration, which tried but ultimately failed. He called for a more comprehensive response, questioning whether economic interests are influencing the government's enforcement efforts.

    20 hours ago · Joy Online

  2. Power outages fixable if government prioritises solutions – Bentil

    IMANI Africa's Vice President Kofi Bentil says Ghana's recurring power outages can be resolved if government prioritises necessary interventions and resources, noting that technical expertise and solutions are already known. He cited a recent power outage at Korle Bu Teaching Hospital as an example of the risks posed by unreliable electricity supply and stressed that Ghanaian engineers have the capacity to address the challenges if given adequate resources.

    21 hours ago · Joy Online

  3. Ghana should prioritize power sector spending over market construction

    Lawyer Kofi Bentil called on the government to rethink its spending priorities, arguing that Ghana has the technical expertise and resources to fix recurring power outages but questions why interventions have not been prioritized. He contended that the government should focus on strengthening essential infrastructure rather than committing significant resources to deferrable projects like demolishing and constructing new markets.

    22 hours ago · Joy Online

  4. GoldBod is Ghana's best gold management approach yet, says IMANI lawyer

    Kofi Bentil, Senior Vice-President of IMANI Africa, defended the Ghana Gold Board as the best approach Ghana has adopted to manage its gold resources, though he cautioned it is still evolving and not flawless. He noted GoldBod represents an improvement over a previous arrangement where the Bank of Ghana directly traded gold and bore the financial consequences on its balance sheet.

    22 hours ago · Joy Online

  5. Gyamfi accuses NPP of double standards on gold programme costs

    Ghana Gold Board CEO Sammy Gyamfi has accused the NPP of applying double standards, saying the party previously defended costs incurred under the Gold-for-Oil programme but now criticizes financial costs associated with the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme. The NPP had rejected IMANI Africa's allegations of GH¢7.2 billion in financial leakages under the G4O programme, arguing the costs represented foreign exchange liquidity support rather than evidence of mismanagement.

    23 hours ago · Joy Online

Tuesday 11 August

  1. JoyNews and IMANI Africa examine plastic waste management framework

    JoyNews and IMANI Africa held a national dialogue on plastic waste management in Ghana, bringing together EPA experts, policymakers, and industry representatives to examine challenges and explore solutions within the country's Extended Producer Responsibility framework.

    11 August 2026 · Joy Online

Saturday 8 August

  1. Bribery rooted in culture, not salaries, says legal expert

    Kofi Bentil, Vice President of IMANI Africa, argues that Ghana's bribery problem is a deeply embedded cultural issue rather than a salary problem, and calls for strict enforcement combined with depersonalisation of government services—particularly through digital systems to reduce unnecessary face-to-face interactions between citizens and officials.

    8 August 2026 · Joy Online

  2. Kofi Bentil: NDC 'more zealous' in prosecuting opposition figures

    Senior lawyer Kofi Bentil has said there are grounds for concern that the NDC government may be applying justice selectively, appearing more aggressive in prosecuting opposition figures while being more lenient towards its own party members. He stated that both sides of the debate could marshal supporting arguments, but that the government's record over its four-year mandate would ultimately judge the allegation.

    8 August 2026 · Joy Online

  3. Democracy weakens gradually through misuse of laws, Bentil warns

    Lawyer Kofi Bentil cautioned that attacks on democracy develop gradually through misapplication of laws and institutions rather than occurring suddenly, citing historical examples and urging Ghana to remain vigilant against practices that could weaken constitutional freedoms.

    8 August 2026 · Joy Online

  4. Kofi Bentil warns of selective justice in current government

    Lawyer and IMANI Africa Vice President Kofi Bentil has raised concerns about selective justice under the current NDC administration, arguing the government has been more aggressive in prosecuting opposition figures while protecting its own members. He said the government's record over its full four-year mandate would ultimately provide the strongest evidence of such bias.

    8 August 2026 · Joy Online

  5. Senior lawyer urges Ghanaians to protect democratic freedoms vigilantly

    Kofi Bentil, Vice-President of IMANI Africa, has urged Ghanaians to remain vigilant in protecting democratic freedoms and to challenge developments that could undermine constitutional freedoms, rather than waiting until rights have been eroded. His comments came after the NPP's "Democracy Under Attack" demonstration in Accra, where the party protested what it described as threats to Ghana's democracy under the NDC government.

    8 August 2026 · Joy Online

  6. Respect protesters regardless of political agreement, Kofi Bentil urges

    Senior lawyer and IMANI Africa Vice-President Kofi Bentil has urged Ghanaians to respect citizens who demonstrate, even when they disagree with the protesters' views, arguing that activists play a crucial role in defending democratic freedoms by challenging authority and pushing the boundaries of civic liberties.

    8 August 2026 · Joy Online

  7. Democracy threatened by gradual erosion of freedoms—lawyer warns

    Senior lawyer Kofi Bentil has warned that Ghana's democracy faces a "creeping" threat through the gradual erosion of constitutional freedoms and institutions, arguing that democratic systems can be weakened from within when laws and state institutions are used in ways that undermine constitutionalism. His comments followed an NPP "Democracy Under Attack" demonstration in Accra protesting what the party describes as threats to democratic institutions under the NDC administration.

    8 August 2026 · Joy Online

Friday 31 July

  1. Franklin Cudjoe criticises acquittal of ex-MASLOC CEO Sedina Tamakloe

    IMANI Africa founder Franklin Cudjoe has expressed concern that the Court of Appeal's decision to acquit former Microfinance and Small Loans Centre chief executive officer Sedina Tamakloe Attionu could send a wrong signal about accountability, suggesting that public officials accused of wrongdoing may escape consequences if their political party returns to power.

    31 July 2026 · Joy Online

Wednesday 29 July

  1. Legal expert questions Supreme Court delegate system ruling

    Kofi Bentil, Vice President of IMANI Africa, has questioned the Supreme Court's 5-2 decision declaring the delegate system unconstitutional, arguing that representation is fundamental to democracy and that suggesting representation is unconstitutional is "quite weird." The Court ruled that all registered, card-bearing members of political parties must be allowed to vote in primaries, requiring parties to conduct "One Member, One Vote" elections instead of relying on a limited number of delegates.

    29 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times

Tuesday 28 July

  1. IMANI Africa VP criticises AMA's mandatory sanitation clean-up directive

    Kofi Bentil, Vice President of IMANI Africa, has criticised the Accra Metropolitan Assembly's order for residents and traders to cease activities and participate in a clean-up exercise on August 1, 2026, calling the approach "absurd" and arguing that sanitation officials are shifting their responsibilities to the public.

    28 July 2026 · The Ghanaian Times

Sunday 26 July

  1. Deputy AG says Parliament cannot transfer prosecutorial powers by law

    Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai has maintained that Parliament cannot transfer the Attorney-General's constitutionally mandated prosecutorial powers to the Office of the Special Prosecutor through ordinary legislation, arguing that only the person to whom the Constitution grants authority can delegate it.

    26 July 2026 · Joy Online

  2. Ghana must amend constitution for independent prosecutorial authority

    Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai argues that Ghana cannot establish an independent prosecutorial authority or give the Office of the Special Prosecutor independent prosecutorial powers without amending Article 88 of the 1992 Constitution, which vests prosecutorial authority in the Attorney-General.

    26 July 2026 · Joy Online

  3. High Court correctly ruled OSP Act cannot override Constitution

    Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai defended the High Court's ruling that the Office of the Special Prosecutor Act, as ordinary legislation, cannot alter constitutional powers vested in the Attorney-General under Article 88 of the 1992 Constitution. He stated that only formal constitutional amendment procedures can change constitutional provisions, not ordinary parliamentary acts.

    26 July 2026 · Joy Online

  4. Deputy AG: OSP established via ordinary legislation, not constitutional change

    Deputy Attorney-General Dr Justice Srem-Sai has stated that the Office of the Special Prosecutor was established through ordinary legislation under Article 106 of the 1992 Constitution, not a constitutional amendment, and that the OSP Act cannot alter the constitutional powers of the Attorney-General or create an independent prosecutorial authority outside the Constitution's framework.

    26 July 2026 · Joy Online

Saturday 11 July

  1. Court vacated account freeze basis, Bentil says

    Kofi Bentil, Vice President of IMANI Africa, has questioned the continued scrutiny of former NAFCO CEO Hanan Abdul-Wahab Aludiba, arguing that the basis for freezing his account had been vacated by court order and he should no longer be treated as subject to the earlier restriction.

    11 July 2026 · Joy Online

  2. Ghana's floods stem from poor leadership, not lack of funds—Kofi Bentil

    IMANI Africa Vice President Kofi Bentil argues that Ghana's persistent flooding and sanitation challenges result from failures in leadership and engineering planning rather than insufficient funding, noting that successive governments have invested hundreds of millions of dollars in drainage projects yet many communities still face devastating floods.

    11 July 2026 · Joy Online

  3. Sanitation crisis requires engineering, accountability, not money – Bentil

    IMANI Africa's Kofi Bentil argues that Ghana's sanitation crisis is not a financial problem but an engineering and leadership challenge, criticising public officials for prioritising public relations over implementing practical solutions and calling for stronger accountability.

    11 July 2026 · Joy Online

  4. Kofi Bentil urges sustainable sanitation solutions over reactive approach

    Senior lawyer and IMANI Africa Vice President Kofi Bentil has criticized Ghana's sanitation management as reactive and lacking long-term planning, arguing the country is trapped in a cycle of flooding and emergency clean-ups without addressing structural causes of waste management problems.

    11 July 2026 · Joy Online

Monday 29 June

  1. Ghanaian parents prioritize material luxuries over character development

    Senior lawyer Kofi Bentil criticizes some Ghanaian parents for providing excessive material comforts to their children rather than focusing on discipline and character guidance, contributing to instances of misconduct that shock parents who believe their children incapable of such behavior.

    29 June 2026 · The Chronicle

Saturday 20 June

  1. Electoral Commission appointments should go through Parliament, Kofi Bentil says

    Kofi Bentil, Senior Vice-President of IMANI Africa, has called for EC commissioners to be appointed and vetted by Parliament rather than by the President, arguing that parliamentary scrutiny would ensure the institution's neutrality and independence. He contends that presidential appointments of EC leadership carry political implications that undermine public trust and that politicians will appoint allies rather than objective candidates.

    20 June 2026 · Joy Online

  2. Kofi Bentil says zero chance of politically neutral EC deputy

    Lawyer and IMANI Africa Senior Vice-President Kofi Bentil has argued that the current appointment system for Electoral Commission leaders makes true neutrality virtually impossible, claiming the replacement for former Deputy Chairperson Bossman Asare will likely be affiliated with the NDC. He called for parliamentary vetting and approval of EC leaders to strengthen the Commission's independence.

    20 June 2026 · Joy Online

  3. Kofi Bentil praises Sophia Akufo's impartiality as Chief Justice

    Lawyer Kofi Bentil described former Chief Justice Sophia Akufo as one of Ghana's most principled judicial figures, arguing she demonstrated that political appointees can maintain independence and impartiality, noting her willingness to challenge government actions on principle despite being appointed by an NPP administration.

    20 June 2026 · Joy Online

  4. Ofori-Atta's US green card is victory but not extradition shield

    Lawyer Kofi Bentil says former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta's acquisition of a US green card is "a victory" for him, but it does not protect him from possible extradition proceedings. Bentil noted that even US citizens have been extradited to face prosecution abroad, and that permanent residency in the US is not immunity from legal processes.

    20 June 2026 · Joy Online

  5. Kofi Bentil warns Ken Ofori-Atta faces assault risk if he returns

    IMANI Africa's Kofi Bentil has said former Finance Minister Ken Ofori-Atta could face physical danger from ordinary citizens if he returns to Ghana due to public hostility toward him, though Bentil believes the legal charges against Ofori-Atta are not serious and hopes he will return to face them.

    20 June 2026 · Joy Online

IMANI Africa — Ghanaian press coverage · Ghana Minute