National Democratic Congress (NDC) member of Parliament for Cape Coast South constituency in the central Region, Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, has mounted a spirited defense for Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who, some have described as arrogant.
In a panel discussion on JoyNews on Saturday, 6 July 2024, the NDC MP said that sentiments that NAPO, as Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh is popularly called, is arrogant are not the case. He said that if one gets to know NAPO well, the person will come to appreciate the fact that he is a fantastic person.
“Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh is a fantastic person if you get to know him well. He is very assertive and can be bold at times, but that cannot be an attribute of arrogance in the real sense of the word. He is very fantastic if you ask me” the MP stated.
He also indicated that Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh is an intellectual who engages in intellectual arguments, and that, he posited, can never be understood as arrogance. “Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh is all about intellectual debates” he stated.
Sampson Lardy, the host of the programme, also had this to say about Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh; “Matthew Opoku Prempeh has strong views to express on topics tabled for discussion. He makes his points strongly and would make sure he sends them across no matter what. That can’t be described as arrogance in any dictionary”.
Legal practitioner, Kofi Bentil, a panelist on the show, in his view, said that what constitutes arrogance to some Ghanaians does not qualify for same. “In Ghana, if you are assertive, you are tagged arrogant, if you are bold, it is arrogance. When you are well organised, you are described as arrogant, etc”.
He said that though he has made certain pronouncements in the past which didn’t go down well with some people, that should not be the yardstick for the job Matthew Opoku Prempeh is expected to perform as Vice President if the NPP wins the 2024 elections.
“The argument should be, can he do the job? Does he have the track record? I would say Yes because the two critical ministries entrusted to him fared very well. He implemented Free SHS successfully and handled affairs at the Energy Ministry very well. The arrogance argument doesn’t come in at all. He is results oriented, and, to me, that’s more important” the Vice President of IMANI Africa stated.
The National Executive Council (NEC) of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has concertedly approved Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh as the running mate for Dr Mahamudu Bawumia for the 2024 general elections.
The National Council endorsed the decision on Thursday after earlier meetings with the National Executive Council, and the National Steering Committee of the party.
Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, is also the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South in the Ashanti Region and former Education Minister and currently the Energy Minister. The party highlighted that Dr Opoku Prempeh meets all the criteria for the running mate position, which led to his unanimous approval.
Source: Asaase Broadcasting
