Cape Coast South Member of Parliament for the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Kweku Ricketts-Hagan, has staunchly defended Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, amidst criticisms of arrogance levelled against him.
Speaking on JoyNews’ flagship program, Newsfile, on Saturday, July 6th, 2024, Ricketts-Hagan refuted claims that Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, who currently serves as Vice President and is associated with the New Patriotic Party (NPP), is arrogant.
Instead, he portrayed him as a “fantastic person” with assertiveness and intellectual prowess.
“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 should not be considered an attribute of arrogance in the real sense of the word. He is very fantastic, if you ask me,” the MP emphasized during the panel discussion.
Ricketts-Hagan further highlighted Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh’s intellectual engagement, describing him as someone who thrives in intellectual debates. He argued that Dr. Prempeh’s assertiveness and strong views on various topics should not be misconstrued as arrogance.
Echoing similar sentiments, panel host Samson Lardi supported Ricketts-Hagan’s stance, stating, “Matthew Opoku Prempeh has strong views to express on topics tabled for discussion. He makes his points strongly and ensures he sends them across no matter what. That can’t be described as arrogance in any dictionary.”
Legal practitioner Kofi Bentil, another panelist on the show, criticized the perception of assertiveness as arrogance within Ghanaian society.
He argued that Dr. Prempeh’s track record in successfully implementing the Free Senior High School (SHS) policy and managing affairs at the Energy Ministry speaks volumes about his capability rather than any perceived arrogance.
“The argument should be, can he do the job? Does he have a track record? I would say yes because the two critical ministries entrusted to him fared very well. He is results-oriented, and, to me, that’s more important,” Bentil affirmed.
The ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has officially selected Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, commonly known as NAPO, as the running mate for Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia in the upcoming 2024 general elections. This decision was unanimously endorsed by the National Executive Council (NEC) and subsequently ratified by the National Council following deliberations with the party’s National Steering Committee.
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, currently the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South in the Ashanti Region and serving as the Energy Minister, previously held the position of Education Minister.
The party emphasized that Dr. Opoku Prempeh fulfills all necessary criteria for the role of running mate, cementing his selection for the upcoming electoral campaign.
tigpost.co
