The Minister of Energy and Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has tasked Ghanaians to ignore speculations about his alleged intentions to serve as a running mate to the Vice President of Ghana; Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, should the latter contest and win in the ruling New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) flagbearer race ahead of the 2024 elections.
Many are the rumors circulating that Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, deems himself worthy of becoming the running mate of Dr. Mahamadu Bawumia. This rumor has received backlash from many people, including Madam Frances Ewurabena Asiam; the immediate past Chief Executive Office (CEO) of Ghana Cylinder Manufacturing Company Limited (GCMCL).
She for instance, disagrees that Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh is worthy to be the running mate of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia because she claims he was part of the reason why she resigned from GCMCL and as such, she cannot accept him in that position due to many other reasons.
Speaking in an interview, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as Napo, declared in an unequivocal tone that he believes in the competence of Dr. Bawumia to lead Ghana, hence his selfless effort in trumpeting his capabilities.
He noted that he serves as the Minister of Energy and Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, which remains his primary focus, and as such, he has no interest in working to earn the approbation of the Vice President.
“…I have also heard it on the radio and on social media that I am aiming at serving as Dr. Bawumia’s vice, hence my constant crusade in telling Ghanaians the competence of Dr. Bawumia. Ghanaians should ignore these rumors. The vice President position is neither a birthright nor an elected position.
“The person under discussion has not even declared his bid to lead the NPP as its flagbearer, so tell me, why will I sit here and think or harbor that vision of serving as his veep? I serve as the Minister of Energy; that is my primary focus. However, I believe in the competence of our Vice President, and Ghanaians must know these qualities of his, Simple! I am not working to become his running mate.”
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh
Disconnect Ministry Of Energy’s Power If We Don’t Pay Our Bills
The Minister of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh in the interview, also charged the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to disconnect power of every public institution in the country including that of the Ministry of Energy, if they default in the payments of their electricity bills.
The Energy Minister who doubles as Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, remarked that in principle, charity begins at home. So if the Energy Ministry defaults in the payments of their bills, the ECG should without any form of hesitation, disconnect their power.
However, he explained that the reports on social media indicating Matthew Opoku Prempeh’s outfit suffering a disconnection exercise from its agency, ECG, over alleged unpaid electricity bills were untrue.
Napo stated in his explanation that his Ministry runs on prepaid meters, so it would be impossible for the ECG to disconnect them from the grid.
“We only had prepaid challenges of which on the contrary, the ECG intervened to restore power for us. The ECG should disconnect the Energy Ministry’s power and that of any public institution should they at any point default in making payments for their utility bills.
“…the Ministry of Energy is no exemption from this principle should it come to that. The ECG must not relent in its effort to recover monies owed them either by private institutions, individuals or state agencies.”
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh
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