Private legal practitioner Nana Yaw Osei has expressed strong approval of the opposition New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) recent launch of the Patriot Institute, describing the move as a much-needed and long-overdue development.
Speaking on the Kumasi-based Abusua FM program Bresosem monitored by Kumasimail, Nana Yaw Osei emphasized the significance of the issues raised by former President John Agyekum Kufuor during the institute’s inauguration.
He noted that these points are critical to the party’s growth and policy direction.
“The matters President Kufuor highlighted are important,” Nana Yaw Osei stated.
“However, he should have addressed them earlier. Since the party’s founding in 1992, it has been 33 years now, yet their main rival, the National Democratic Congress (NDC), established a similar institution long ago.”
He explained that the creation of the Patriot Institute, envisioned as a think tank to analyze policies and chart a strategic course for the party, is a positive step forward.
“If the party is establishing this institute to enhance knowledge, policy analysis, and provide clear direction, then it is a welcome development,” he said.
Osei also recalled the previous reliance on the Dankwah Institute, which, although influential, was not directly controlled by the NPP.
“People believed Dankwah Institute was doing the party’s intellectual work, but since it does not belong to the NPP, it was not an ideal arrangement. Therefore, I agree with President Kufuor on the need for the party to have its own institute. It is just that this should have been done much earlier. But as the saying goes, better late than never.”
Turning to other issues raised during the institute’s opening ceremony, including concerns about tribalism, Nana Yaw Osei was unequivocal.
He stressed that competence should be the primary criterion in political appointments and leadership, rather than ethnic background.
“Competence should be the focus. We shouldn’t judge people based on where they come from,” he said.
“That said, it would be hypocritical to deny that tribalism does not exist in Ghanaian politics,” he added.
Nana Yaw Osei referenced a recent incident ahead of the 2024 elections, where Sheikh Ishaak Ibrahim Nuamah publicly urged voters to support Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia because he is Muslim.
“When I heard that, I was shocked. If the Sheikh thought his comments would boost Bawumia’s chances, he was mistaken,” Osei remarked.
“Such politics often happen behind closed doors, but for him to say it openly was surprising. I also noted the silence from leading political figures who did not condemn those remarks.”
He suggested that President Kufuor’s comments on tribalism might be a response to such divisive tactics.
“If you listen to recent talks, it is clear that tribalism has been used as a campaign tool, especially by Dr. Bawumia but it worked against him.
“I believe I told you that I would have been happy if, after the Sheikh made those remarks, the Bawumia office had publicly released a statement saying, ‘We thank you for your intention to support Bawumia to become president, but here in Ghana, we do not vote based on tribalism’,” he told Host Kojo Marfo.
Osei warned about the dangers of religious and ethnic partisanship in politics, noting that if one religious group openly engages in such behavior, others might follow suit, potentially deepening divisions.
He indicated “If you have religious fanatics like the Sheikh or Islamic extremists like him, you will find their counterparts in other religions, more importantly Christians. But if they are not addressed, such individuals will not express their views publicly as the Sheikh did; instead, they will operate underground, which is dangerous. This could create divisions between Christians and Muslims, but we do not vote based on religion.”
Nana Yaw Osei expressed optimism about the 2024 election results, which he believes disproved the effectiveness of tribal and religious appeals in Ghanaian politics.
“The election outcome defeated that logic, and I am happy about it,” he said.
Source :www.kumasimail.com /Kwadwo Owusu
