Former Education Minister and Member of Parliament for Manhyia South, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (NAPO), has reiterated that his controversial remarks about Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, were taken out of context and twisted for political gain.
His comments relate to a statement he made during the 2024 election campaign period, where he compared the performance of former presidents to that of President Nana Akufo-Addo, including references to Dr. Nkrumah that sparked public backlash and political debate.
Speaking in an interview later to clarify the issue, NAPO insisted that his intention was not to disrespect Ghana’s founding president but to make a political comparison within the context of campaign rhetoric.
He explained that his statement was misinterpreted and amplified in a way that created controversy.
“At that time, you can’t go into the evidence, so I made a statement ‘mo Kwame Nkrumah’, and I subsequently had to go to Nkroful and speak to the chiefs there and explain the context in which the statement was made,” he said.
NAPO further argued that political communication is often vulnerable to distortion, especially during heated electoral seasons, where statements can be selectively quoted and circulated.
He maintained that his remarks were not intended as an insult to Dr. Nkrumah, stressing that he holds respect for Ghana’s former leaders.
“Because in politics, if somebody misunderstands, misquotes, or you allow your communication to be misread or to be misunderstood, you have to own it. So I owned it, and that is why I issued the statement,” he noted.
He also compared his statement to everyday football banter to explain the intent behind his wording, suggesting it was not meant to be offensive.
“Not that the context was wrong. I’m a die-hard fan of Kumasi Asante Kotoko. So if I’m teasing Olympic supporters and I said ‘mo Oly fuo no’, I’m not really insulting Olympic fans. I’m just upping Kotoko fuo because I am one of them,” he explained.
Following the backlash, NAPO acknowledged that the comment generated strong reactions across political and public circles, particularly among supporters of Nkrumahist ideology.
“It generated a lot of uproar. Nkrumahists got furious, and I apologise to them,” he admitted.
He maintained that despite the controversy, his comments were rooted in personal political opinion and not an attempt to undermine the legacy of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, who led Ghana to independence in 1957 and remains one of Africa’s most influential political figures.
