Comparing Akufo-Addo to Nkrumah was NAPO’s personal opinion – Spokesperson

A spokesperson for Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, Fiifi Boafo, has clarified controversial statements regarding the tenure of Ghana’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah and President Nana Akufo-Addo.

On Tuesday, July 9, 2024, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) unveiled Dr Opoku Prempeh as the running mate to the party’s presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, in Kumasi.

During his speech, Dr Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, asserted that no president, including the revered Dr Nkrumah, has developed Ghana like President Akufo-Addo.

“Since independence, from 1957 till today, we have not had any president that has helped Ghana like Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. I say from 1957 till today, you can bring your Kwame Nkrumah… no president who has protected Ghana and moved the country forward like Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo,” NAPO said to a cheering gathering.

His comparison has since been met with dissatisfaction from various sections of Ghanaians.

However, Fiifi Boafo said the NPP running mate’s statement was not intended to denigrate Dr Nkrumah.

“He was only making the point that if he juxtaposes the impact in terms of development he is seeing under President Akufo-Addo and what we witnessed under former President Nkrumah, he is of the considered view that President Akufo-Addo has done better.

“That is his objective view. There are those who do not share that position. There are those who also support that position. But this is only his opinion. And in a democracy, other persons may have a different opinion to the position he has shared,” he said.

Meanwhile, the Deputy Minority Leader in parliament, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, has criticised Dr Opoku Prempeh for comparing President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s achievements to that of Ghana’s first president, Dr Kwame Nkrumah.

He said the NPP running mate’s comparison was misguided and insulting.

The Deputy Minority Leader, in a post on social media, stated that Dr Nkrumah’s legacy is unmatched and that such comparisons are unjust and illogical.

He added that NAPO must immediately retract his statement and apologise for attempting to rewrite history and downgrade Kwame Nkrumah’s legacy.