The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has made headlines since December 2023 when their 2024 flagbearer, Mahamudu Bawumia, asked for more time to select his running mate.
Speculations and analyses filled the media, discussing potential candidates and the advantages of choosing someone from particular regions.
On June 26, 2024, it was revealed that Bawumia had presented a name to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. Several media outlets reported that the chosen running mate was Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, also known as Napo.
Dr. Opoku Prempeh, a royal, is seen as a strong choice to rally the party’s base for the 2024 elections. He is a trained medic and has been a lawmaker since 2009, serving as a cabinet minister since 2017. His profile highlights a blend of experience in medicine, politics, and leadership.
Who is Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh?
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh is the Minister for Energy and the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Manhyia South constituency in the Ashanti Region. He was born on May 23, 1968, in Kumasi, where he completed his primary, secondary, and tertiary education.
At the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), he obtained a Bachelor of Science degree in Human Biology in 1992 and a Bachelor of Medicine and Surgery degree in 1995. He served as a House Officer at the Okomfo Anokye Teaching Hospital from 1995 until 1997. He then continued his education at Erasmus University in The Netherlands, earning an M.Sc in Clinical Epidemiology in 1998.
Dr. Prempeh worked in the United Kingdom, becoming a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons in Glasgow in 2002. He returned to Ghana in 2003 to pursue a career in business and politics. He is also a Harvard Scholar and an alumnus of the Harvard Ministerial Leadership Program.
Political Career
Dr. Opoku Prempeh entered Parliament on the NPP ticket during the 2008 general election, representing the people of Manhyia. After the constituency was divided, he became the MP for the Manhyia South Constituency in 2012 and retained the seat in the 2016 and 2020 elections.
In 2017, President Akufo-Addo appointed him as Minister for Education. During his tenure, he successfully implemented the Free Senior High School program, curriculum reforms, and teacher reforms. His team also promoted Technical, Vocational Training, and Education (TVET).
Following the NPP’s victory in the 2020 general elections, Dr. Prempeh was nominated as Minister for Energy. He has since led several major projects, including rural electrification, renegotiation of power agreements, and improving Ghana’s clean energy goals.
Awards and Recognition
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh was named Best Minister in 2017 and 2019. He received the 2020 Harvard Ministerial Medal of Achievement for his exemplary leadership.
He also holds two Honorary Doctorates from the University of Education, Winneba, and the University for Professional Studies, Accra.
Recently, he was named one of the top 25 Movers and Shakers in the Energy Sector by the African Energy Chamber.
tigpost.co
