Senior Vice President of IMANI Ghana, Kofi Bentil has stated that he remains unsurprised with a recent opinion article released by veteran journalist Elizabeth Akua Ohene which largely described Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) as ‘all knowing neutrals.’

According him, considering the roles and advocacies the veteran journalist has undertaken for the ruling NPP government over the years, the content of the article did not depart from her political stance.

Describing Ms Ohene as a “dyed-in-the-wool NPP” member, Kofi Bentil in a chronological order broke down and responded to some claims made in her article in which she sought to suggest that CSOs want to be seen as a “repository of all wisdom” and love the country more than anyone else, think that all governments are corrupt, amongst others.

Kofi Bentil wrote in his article titled ‘Elizabeth Ohene and her long-suffering ‘neutrals’’; “Ms. Elizabeth Ohene is dyed-in-the-wool NPP, as is her right to be. she was not merely a Minister and a parliamentary candidate on an NPP ticket, she has been an ardent activist of the party.”

“Which means she tows the party line, which right now is that CSOs are “worrying” NPP. It is not strange that she would take umbrage at citizens speaking up. Especially in these times when a close business associate and fellow leading member of the NPP, my friend Gabby, has been under the spotlight due to CSO advocacy,” he added.

Mr Bentil also indicated that his first issue with Ms Ohene’s commentary is the issue of “focus”.

Without mincing any words at all, Mr Bentil stated that anytime IMANI and other relevant CSOs make submissions, with regards to government policies, critics always fail to focus on their core arguments rather they beat around the bush with irrelevant counter-arguments.

Kofi Bentil joins a host of political commentators, like Prof Ransford Gyampo, Prof Kweku Asare, Franklin Cudjoe, who have openly castigated Elizabeth Ohene for her choice of words in her recently published, “All-knowing neutrals.”