4 controversial statements made by NAPO in recent years

The New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) running mate, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has, in the last few days, come under intense criticism for saying that the incumbent president, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has outperformed all presidents in Ghana including Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.

The statement sparked conversations nationwide as many described the comments by Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO as disrespectful and an attempt to undermine the achievements and significance of Nkrumah.

The statement also re-ignited conversations on whether or not NAPO is arrogant, with many questioning if his personality is benefiting the occupant of the second highest office of the land or not.

This GhanaWeb article brings to light four other statements made by NAPO that raised eye brows in Ghana in the last two years.

Ashanti Region NPP members just need T-shirts to vote

During a campaign event at Kumawu, NAPO made a statement that suggested that the NPP can win the vote of electorates and supporters in the Ashanti Region by just incentivising them with party-branded shirts.

“If we cannot organise campaign rallies, let's use our money to print T-shirts and distribute them to our party faithful and everyone – after all, our NPP T-shirts are beautiful, and I don't think anybody will be wearing them and go and vote for another party,” he said in a report.

The statement did not sit well with many party members, who said the statement was very disrespectful to members from the Ashanti Region.

I will lead demo if Keta tidal waves are captured in 2022 Budget

NAPO threatened to hold a one-man demonstration in the Ashanti Region if the Keta tidal waves are captured in the 2022 Budget.

He explained that no such treatment and attention was given to residents who lost their properties and to those who experienced flooding that year.

He said he cannot fathom why the Minority in Parliament will push for support for Keta and can’t do the same for the Ashanti Region.

“If the finance minister dares put Keta in the budget, I’ll also lead demo to get Kumasi flooded areas in there too. Why are the Minority MPs not fighting for the people of Kumasi because it has flooded about four times already,” he queried.

Students can use rubber bags

NAPO, while addressing the issue of lack of toilets in some senior high schools in 2017, said that students defecating in rubber bags is at “least better.”

He was answering a question regarding the lack of toilet facilities in some schools under the Free SHS educational policy.

“There are few schools still in Ghana here that are secondary schools who had no toilets; that is not the result of Free SHS. So, when you see students portraying that somebody says I do it in a rubber bag and I walk 45 minutes, at least you have the rubber bag,” he said in a 2017 report on GhanaWeb.

Go and do your dumsor timetable if you want one

Dr. Matthew Opoku-Prempeh refuted claims that Ghana had returned to the days of the power crisis, popularly known as dumsor.

He stated that the current power outages in the country cannot be classified the same way the dumsor that occurred under the NDC administration was.

Speaking at the inauguration of the NPP campaign team in the Ashanti Region, Dr. Opoku Prempeh assured the public that efforts were underway to address the challenges.

And with growing calls for the country to prepare a timetable for the erratic power outages in the country at the time, NAPO rather asked Ghanaians to create their own dumsor timetable if they wanted one so badly.

Responding to a question asked by a journalist, NAPO said "Ask those who want it to bring it, if there is. I haven't seen any timetable."

EAN/AE

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