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 by training participants in policy evaluation, legal reasoning, media engagement and market-based economic principles.

Founding President of the Institute for Liberty and Economic Education, Eric Coffie, said the programme was created to encourage more young people to take an active interest in policy analysis and issues affecting national development.

He said the fellowship would 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.

“The Nyansapo Fellowship is basically about policy analysis, advocating for human rights, promoting economic freedom and advancing free-market principles.”

According to him, Ghana needs more young people with an understanding of policy issues, rather than leaving policy analysis to a small group of experts.

“We need to introduce young people to policy and make them interested in policy analysis because policy is one of the most vital things in our nation.”

He said the programme would initially target university students, with plans to expand its reach to other institutions in subsequent editions.

Vice President of IMANI Africa, lawyer Kofi Bentil, who participated in the fellowship's discussions, 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.

“The question is whether the state should be using its powers to stop people from saying what they want to say, good or bad. If a person says something that is criminal, then the state comes in. But if something is insulting, no matter how difficult or offensive it is, an insult is not a criminal offence.”

He said individuals who felt aggrieved by another person's speech had legal avenues available to seek redress, stressing that freedom of expression was important to maintaining an environment where people could think and engage freely.

Mr 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.

“The Ayalolo bus has 50 people in it, and you are alone in your car. Nobody stopped you from using the Ayalolo bus; you chose to use your car. I think in a good society, 50 people should be given priority over one person.”

He 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 said 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.

“They are being trained to develop policy briefs and advocate for issues that can contribute to changing the nation. We need to equip them with the basics of policy development and advocacy.”

Mr Kakraba said the training also introduced participants to media framing, engagement with journalists, and collaboration with civil society organizations and other advocacy groups.

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 & 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.