SYPALA 2026: Government must be limited to powers given by citizens — Kofi Bentil

Kofi Bentil, a lawyer and Vice President of IMANI Africa, has urged the government to operate within the boundaries of powers explicitly granted to it by the citizens. At the Students and Young Professionals African Liberty Academy (SYPALA) 2026 in Accra, Mr Bentil emphasized that governments are instituted by citizens to perform functions that individuals cannot effectively carry out themselves.

He cautioned that concentration of unchecked power could lead to abuse and oppression. Mr Bentil explained that limited government, rule of law, property rights and fundamental freedoms are crucial for a society's governance. He stressed that citizens establish governments to fulfill specific functions on their behalf, and thus, these powers should be clearly defined and limited.

He warned that history has repeatedly demonstrated the risks of allowing individuals or institutions to wield unchecked authority, which often leads to abuse. Mr Bentil highlighted that granting power to public officials could inadvertently empower them to infringe upon citizens' rights if not properly checked. He reiterated that political authority ultimately belongs to the people, who entrust it to governments to perform limited duties.

He cautioned against governments becoming independent of citizens, as this could result in oppression. Mr Bentil urged citizens to evaluate governments based on their actions rather than their names or descriptions. He used North Korea as an example to illustrate that a political system's name does not necessarily reflect its actual functioning.

He advised participants to focus on how political institutions actually operate and whether they adhere to the limits placed on their authority. Finally, Mr Bentil advised participants not to abandon imperfect institutions, suggesting that existing systems capable of delivering essential outcomes should be strengthened and improved upon over time, rather than abandoning them in pursuit of perfection.