By Godwill Arthur-Mensah
Accra, July 5, GNA – Mr. Justin Kodua Frimpong, the General-Secretary of the ruling New Patriotic Party, says the selection of Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, affectioantely called NAPO, as Dr Bawumia’s Running-Mate will ensure a resounding victory to the party in the December 7, 2024 election.
He said Dr Opoku Prempeh would bring to the NPP presidential ticket decades of political astuteness, trustworthy leadership, grassroots mobilization, charisma, patriotism and demonstrable incorruptibility.
Additionally, Dr Opoku Prempeh has had a great working relationship with the Party’s flagbearer, Dr Bawumia, noting that the synergy between the two leaders was amazing, which would aid the party to break the eight-year electoral circle jinx in the country’s electoral history.
The NPP General- Secretary made these remarks after the National Executive Council (NEC) Committee of the Party had unanimously endorsed Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh as the running-mate to Dr Mahamudu Bawumia in Accra, on Thursday.
“He complements our flagbearer in many significant ways and the two enjoy a warm personal relationship, anchored on deep mutual respect,” Mr. Kodua Frimpong emphasised.
The NPP General- Secretary said Dr Opoku Prempeh shared and believed in Dr Bawumia’s vision of bold solutions for the country’s needs in the 21st century fourth industrial revolution.
The meeting of the NEC to decide on the vice-presidential candidate formed part of the constitutionally mandated processes for selecting the party’s running mate as per Article 13(3)(1) of the NPP Constitution.
Article 13(3)(1) of the NPP Constitution provides: “The Party’s Presidential Candidate shall, in consultation with the National Council, nominate the Vice-Presidential Candidate.”
Mr Kodua Frimpong said: “I am happy to report that after the necessary consideration, the National Council of the party unanimously endorsed the Presidential Candidate’s nomination of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Member of Parliament for Manhyia South and Energy Minister, as his Vice-Presidential Candidate pursuant to Article 13(3) of the Party Constitution.
“This significant milestone marks the completion of the presidential ticket of the NPP for the 2024 general elections, and therefore, sets the stage for the party to fully engage the Ghanaian electorates comprehensively with our message of transformation.”
While espousing the qualities of Dr Opoku-Prempeh, the NPP General Secretary said: “He brings to the NPP presidential ticket decades of political astuteness, trustworthy leadership, grassroots mob
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh is a 56-year-old medical doctor, a devoted Christian and a consummate politician.
He is a product of Prempeh College and the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, both in Kumasi, as well as the Erasmus University in The Netherlands.
It was at the KNUST that he made his first appearance as a leader, after he won the position as the local National Union of Ghana Students (NUGS) President, a position he held from 1991 to 1992.
After working with the National Health Service in the United Kingdom for some time, he returned to Ghana in 2005 to pursue a career in business and more importantly in politics.
He successfully became the Member of Parliament for Manhyia in 2009.
Ahead of the 2012 elections, the constituency was divided into two, and in those elections, he won the newly created Manhyia South constituency, which he retained in 2016 and 2020.
Owing to his passion for education, President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo appointed him as Minister of Education during his first term. As Education Minister, Napo, as he is affectionately called, spearheaded the implementation of the famous Free Senior High School policy.
Under Dr. Opoku Prempeh, he ensured the successful implementation of the government’s flagship Free Senior High School (FSHS) policy, which saw the country’s SHS population leap from 800,000 in 2016 to 1.2 million by January 2021.
It is instructive to note that NAPO ensured that the policy was rolled out within the first year of the Akufo-Addo Government when he was appointed as Education Minister.
It is also worthy to note that throughout his four-year tenure as Minister for Education, there was significant industrial harmony and stability in the education front.
He ensured the concerns of teachers and other players in the education sector were adequately addressed.
Having delivered at the Ministry for Education, the President appointed him during his second term to head the Ministry of Energy, where he again, demonstrated his stellar leadership qualities.
He worked very hard to “Keep the lights on”, even during a time of unprecedented global economic crisis when every economy was virtually in “darkness”, gasping for breath.
Mr Kodua Frimpong said Dr. Opoku Prempeh ensured that the recent power challenges the nation experienced did not last beyond three months.
“He is, indeed, results-oriented, and there is absolutely no debate about that,” he added.
In recognition of his leadership skills, his contribution towards education in Ghana, particularly in respect of his role in the implementation of the government’s flagship Free SHS programme and other transformational policies in education, Dr. Prempeh has been honoured by the University of Education Winneba, the University of Cape Coast and the University of Professional Studies, Accra with the conferment on him with honorary doctorate degrees.
In July 2021, he was invited to join the Mission 4.7 High-Level Advisory Group, a joint initiative of UNESCO, the Sustainable Development Solutions Network, the Ban Ki-Moon Center for Global Citizens and the Center for Sustainable Development (CSD) at Columbia University.
GNA