The Institute for Liberty and Economic Education (ILEE) Policy Institute has launched the 2026 Nyansapo Fellowship, an initiative aimed at equipping young Ghanaians with practical skills in policy analysis, advocacy, and economic development. The fellowship seeks to bridge the gap between university education and practical policy engagement. Founding President of ILEE, Eric Coffie, stated that the programme was created to encourage more young people to take an active interest in policy analysis and issues affecting national development.
The Nyansapo Fellowship will focus on identifying regulatory and policy barriers that could affect entrepreneurship and economic activity, while equipping participants with the skills to analyze and advocate for reforms. According to Eric Coffie, Ghana needs more young people with an understanding of policy issues, rather than leaving policy analysis to a small group of experts. The programme will initially target university students, with plans to expand its reach to other institutions in subsequent editions.
The fellowship's discussions included input from Vice President of IMANI Africa, lawyer Kofi Bentil, who addressed issues surrounding human rights and freedom of expression. Mr Bentil argued that while individuals should be accountable for their speech, the state should exercise caution in using its powers to criminalize expression. He emphasized that freedom of expression was important to maintaining an environment where people could think and engage freely.
Kofi Bentil also commented on efforts to improve public transportation, particularly the use of dedicated bus lanes and police escorts for Ayalolo buses. He described dedicated bus lanes as a feature of modern public transport systems and said prioritizing public buses could benefit a larger number of commuters. Mr Bentil urged the government to sustain efforts to improve public transportation and ensure that dedicated bus lanes function effectively.
Former Ghana Broadcasting Corporation (GBC) journalist Conrad Kakraba stated that the fellowship was also focused on equipping participants with practical skills to transform policy ideas into actionable proposals and communicate them effectively. According to him, participants were being trained to develop policy briefs, move from theoretical concepts to evidence-based recommendations, and develop strategies for advocating their proposals.
The training introduced participants to media framing, engagement with journalists, and collaboration with civil society organizations and other advocacy groups. Conrad Kakraba emphasized that the goal was to equip participants with the basics of policy development and advocacy. The Nyansapo Fellowship forms part of ILEE's broader mission to promote human rights, free markets, and economic prosperity through education and policy engagement.
The Institute for Liberty and Economic Education describes itself as a non-profit, non-political, and non-partisan policy think tank dedicated to promoting human rights, free markets, and prosperity for all. The fellowship aims to contribute to Ghana's development by building a new generation of policy advocates. Key stakeholders are optimistic about the potential impact of the programme on Ghana's policy landscape.
Key points
- The Nyansapo Fellowship aims to equip young Ghanaians with practical skills in policy analysis, advocacy, and economic development.
- The programme seeks to bridge the gap between university education and practical policy engagement.
- The fellowship will focus on identifying regulatory and policy barriers that could affect entrepreneurship and economic activity.
