The Deputy Minority Leader, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah has condemned the running mate of the New Patriotic Party, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh also known as Napo for his attempt to diminish the achievements of Ghana’s first President, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
According to him, it was misguided and insulting for Napo to compare the accomplishments of Dr Nkrumah to those of President Akufo-Addo.
Mr Buah, who is also the MP for the Ellembelle constituency, where Nkroful—the birthplace of Dr Nkrumah—is located, demands an immediate retraction and apology from Napo.
He believes Napo was attempting to “mischievously rewrite history.”
The lawmaker made this demand in a post on X (formerly Twitter) on Wednesday after Napo at his unveiling as running mate claimed that President Akufo-Addo has outperformed all his predecessors since Ghana’s independence including Dr Kwame Nkrumah.
Unpleased by the utterance of Napo, he highlighted the unparalleled contributions of Dr Nkrumah to Ghana’s independence and development.
He enumerated several of Dr Nkrumah’s achievements, particularly in the Ashanti region, which include the establishment of the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital, the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, and the expansion of the Kumasi Central Market.
These developments, Mr Buah noted, had significantly boosted the region’s economy and infrastructure.
On a national level, Mr Buah pointed out Dr Nkrumah’s accomplishments such as the introduction of free and compulsory primary education, the construction of the Korle Bu Teaching Hospital, the establishment of educational and technical institutes across Ghana, and major infrastructure projects like the Tema Harbour and the Accra International Airport.
He contrasted these achievements with the current economic challenges Ghana is experiencing under the Akufo-Addo administration, including unprecedented borrowing, debt distress, and corruption.
“Under Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s visionary leadership, Ghana emerged as a beacon of hope and a shining star in Africa, setting an example for other nations to follow. Regrettably, Ghana has now become a laughing stock owing to the abysmal performance of the Akufo Addo-Bawumia-led government,
“As the Energy Minister, NAPO should acknowledge the significance of Kwame Nkrumah’s Akosombo Dam, a critical infrastructure project that continues to generate over 30 per cent of Ghana’s electricity supply to this day,” portions of his post read.
The Deputy Minority leader further stressed that any attempt to downgrade Nkrumah’s legacy would be met with fierce resistance.
“Dr Kwame Nkrumah’s legacy is sacrosanct, and any attempt to downgrade it will be met with fierce resistance. The people of Ghana will not tolerate any attempt to distort the country’s history and undermine the legacy of its founding fathers.
“The undying legacy of the African of the Millennium and global icon, Osagyefo Dr Kwame Nkrumah will forever be protected and not allowed to be distorted and undermined,” he said.
