President of Imani Africa, Franklin Cudjoe, has underscored the continued importance of Senior Vice President Kofi Bentil within the organization, despite the latter publicly expressing support for the New Patriotic Party's (NPP) flagbearer, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.

Franklin Cudjoe emphasised that individual viewpoints on national matters are acknowledged but remain subordinate to the collective mission of the think tank.

In a recent Facebook post on Sunday, February 11, Cudjoe emphasized the significance of independent analysis and critique within an environment that values freedom and liberty.

He reassured that personal affiliations would not compromise Imani Africa's commitment to impartial evaluation and discussion of crucial issues, maintaining that Bentil's role within the organization remains unaffected by his political stance.

"Our individual wishes and preferences, however expressed or communicated, will always be overridden by the collective mandate we have carved for the organization, in putting out objective, independent analyses and critiques on many issues within an environment that guarantees individual freedom and liberty," Cudjoe posted.

Cudjoe's post highlights Imani Africa's dedication to its core principles of impartiality and independent analysis despite individual members' political affiliations. This affirmation comes in the wake of Bentil's public endorsement of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the NPP's flagbearer for the 2024 elections.

Bentil's stance had elicited criticism, particularly from individuals affiliated with the National Democratic Congress (NDC), who labeled him as conflicted. Additionally, Bentil revealed facing threats to his life and businesses since publicly endorsing Bawumia.

"People were meeting on attacking me, and there were efforts afoot...I don't have a problem with debate and discourse, no matter how vigorous," Bentil shared, underscoring his commitment to expressing his opinions without fear despite facing challenges.

These developments underscore the intersection of politics and civil society in Ghana, highlighting the importance of organizations like Imani Africa in promoting impartiality and independent analysis in national discourse.