The National Council officially ratified the selection on Thursday following prior consultations with the National Executive Council and the National Steering Committee of the party.
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, also known as NAPO, serves as the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South in the Ashanti Region, a former Education Minister, and the current Energy Minister.
The party emphasized that Dr. Opoku Prempeh fulfills all the requirements for the running mate role, resulting in his unanimous endorsement.
Profile of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh
Matthew Opoku Prempeh, born on May 23, 1968, is a Ghanaian medical practitioner and political figure. He represents the New Patriotic Party and serves as a Member of Parliament for the Manhyia South Constituency in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
Previously holding the position of Minister of Education, he is widely recognized by the nickname NAPO. Presently, he holds the role of Minister of Energy.
Early life and education
Matthew Opoku Prempeh, born on 23 May 1968 in Ashanti New Town, a suburb of Kumasi, is originally from Pakyi No. 2 in the Ashanti Region. He began his primary education at KNUST Primary and proceeded to Prempeh College in Kumasi for his secondary education.
After completing his MB CHB in Human Biology and Medicine at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology in 1994, he pursued further studies in MSc. Clinical Epidemiology at the Netherlands Institute of Health Sciences in 1998.
Additionally, he completed a certificate course in Leadership and Government at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University. In 2002, he underwent postgraduate training in surgery in the UK, obtaining his MRCS.
Career
Before his tenure in parliament, Prempeh held the position of CEO at Keyedmap Security Services Limited from 2004 to 2009. Additionally, he is a medical doctor who was a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2003.
POLITICS
Member of parliament
Serving as a parliamentarian from Ghana, he currently represents Manhyia South in Kumasi, having previously represented Manhyia. He entered parliament in 2008 and is affiliated with the New Patriotic Party. During the 2016 elections, he secured 35,958 votes, which accounted for 87.17% of the total votes in the district.
He held positions in both the health committee and the appointments committee. In the 2020 general election, Prempeh ran as a parliamentary candidate for the Manhyia South constituency under the New Patriotic Party and emerged victorious by a significant margin.
Minister of Education
He was designated by President Nana Akufo-Addo on 10th January 2017 to assume the role of Minister for Education. He fulfilled this duty for 4 years until 6 January 2021, coinciding with the conclusion of the president and his ministers’ term.
In May 2017, President Nana Akufo-Addo appointed Prempeh as one of the nineteen ministers forming his cabinet. The list of the 19 ministers was presented to the Parliament of Ghana and disclosed by the former Speaker of the House, Mike Ocquaye. Serving as a Cabinet minister, Prempeh was an integral part of the president’s inner circle, contributing to crucial decision-making processes in the nation.
Prempeh also made significant contributions to Ghana’s educational sector during his tenure as Minister of Education, including enhancing infrastructure, advocating for vocational and technical education (TVET), and spearheading the government’s flagship program FREE SHS.
Minister of Energy
In 2021, following his re-election as President of Ghana, Nana Akuffo-Addo appointed Dr. Mattew Opoku Prempeh as the Minister of Energy. Dr. Prempeh had previously held the position of Minister of Education during President Nana Akufo-Addo’s first term.
Committees
Prempeh is a member of the Defense and Interior Committee and also of the Appointments Committee.
In May 2021, the University of Education Winneba conferred on him an Honorary Doctorate Degree.
In July 2021, the University of Professional Studies also awarded him an Honorary Doctor of Humane Letters.
As a member of the Parliament of Ghana, he represents Manhyia South in Kumasi, formerly representing Manhyia.
The University of Cape Coast is the latest institution to recognize Dr. Prempeh’s contributions to the development of Ghana and his immense service to the University of Cape Coast, Ghana.
In May 2022, a group by the name of Friends of NAPO presented some educational materials to schools in the Manhyia South Constituency to mark his 54th birthday.
Prempeh College named a dormitory block after him on 17 June 2023.
Election 2024
Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the current Vice President of Ghana and the chosen Flag bearer for the upcoming 2024 General Elections on the New Patriotic Party’s ticket, has nominated Matthew Opoku Prempeh as his running mate for the Presidency, pending approval from the party leadership.
