FULL TEXT: Opoku Prempeh’s speech at his unveiling as Bawumia’s running mate

Full Address of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh at His Unveiling as Running Mate of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia on July 9, 2024, at Jubilee Park, Kumasi.

Translation by Dorothy Agyapomaa Nkansah

Opening Remarks

God has what? He’s been good. You see the skies; God didn’t cause the sun to shine. He made it rain for soft grounds, right? We are feeling the cool breeze. God has blessed the New Patriotic Party. Anyone who would say that God has not blessed us is a liar. It is only under President Nana Addo’s government that there has not been hunger. Right? For eight years, no hunger. While the whole world was starving, Ghana had food in abundance. Let us be thankful to God for He has been gracious unto the NPP. Thanks to you all.

Message to the Youth

First of all, my message for today is brief. As I stand here, I am in so much awe. If you are a youth in this political party, what I will tell you is that when you serve diligently, you progress. Whether you are a TESCON member, a skilled worker, whoever. Diligent service makes you progress in all aspects of your life. ‘Some’ led Ghana to a hopeless point, but Nana Addo’s government has brought hope. That is how God will approve Dr. Bawumia’s coming so that he can build a good house for us all to live in. So if I stand here today, let us all come together and thank President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for God has blessed Ghana through him.

Praise for President Akufo-Addo

There’s nothing as nice and satisfying as being a father, giving birth, your son succeeding you, and improving upon the things he inherited from you. Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has birthed Dr. Bawumia, and today all Ghanaians find Dr. Bawumia handsome and attractive and can be chosen to lead Ghana. Since this NPP was founded, nothing of this sort has happened. We will all come together and work hard this year to glorify Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo because when he leaves, Dr. Bawumia will take over. It has never happened in the history of the NPP. In the history of Ghana, if President Akufo-Addo goes on retirement, I can hit my chest and say that since 1957 when Ghana attained independence till date, there has never been a President as helpful as President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo. I repeat, since 1957 till date… whether you take your Kwame Nkrumah or whoever, there has never been a President who has been so protective of Ghana and taken the country far like he has. I say so in the sense that “when it is left under your care, its weight lies on your head.” When it was entrusted under his care, he carried it upon himself and did it to the satisfaction and admiration of us all.

Vision for the Future

So if we stand here today, we will not allow history to repeat like what happened in the year 2008. Chairman Wontumi said it, and I second that “what will be nice, what will be attractive and glorious will be when President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo holds his younger brother Dr. Bawumia’s hand.” As for me, I am a son. Today I am the happiest individual because Dr. Bawumia will continue to hold in high esteem the legacy bequeathed unto him by President Akufo-Addo for Ghana to see improvement and development. I say emphatically that if you are a youth or a gentleman here, vote Dr. Bawumia for the sake of your future. For the sake of your future, vote Dr. Bawumia. For the sake of your future, vote Dr. Bawumia.

Achievements Under Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia

Listen to something. Recently, we woke up to the news that England’s former Prime Minister Anthony Blair, whose successor is Keir Starmer, said, “Keir, I only have one piece of advice for you; do your best to ensure that in this digitisation (digital enablement) era, each citizen acquires a National Identification Card.” Think about this: A whole England is now thinking of National ID Cards. Today, because of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia, we Ghanaians already have the National ID Cards. Right? Today you see progress? Progress is no longer abroad. Over here in Ghana, there’s progress. The right person to lead for progress to come and stay is Dr. Bawumia. Today, my message is very brief. President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo has spoken, Dr. Bawumia has spoken. Dr. Napo, I am here to interpret.

Addressing Misconceptions

It is never true that ‘Dumsor’ still exists in Ghana; rather, we cut power to repair faults, which is ‘DumSieSie’. We cut power to repair faults. If you experience power outages anywhere you find yourself, do not assume that we just find joy in the frequent on-and-off like someone’s time. Ours is to cut power and repair faults. If you have resided here in the Ashanti region for the past 20 years, power supply has never been the best as it is now. Right? So why then does an outsider come telling you “Ɛyɛ Zu!” No one can be compared to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo in the field of political development. The number of school structures constructed under President Akufo-Addo’s government exceeds any other. In fact, we have forgotten something. BECE and WASSCE candidates used to pay exam fees. President Nana Akufo-Addo has abolished that. He is the only President who aimed at constructing 111 hospitals. What else do you want if not this? If we are seeking Ghana’s development and we don’t choose Dr. Bawumia to lead us, who will we choose?

Call to Action

We will not retrogress. We will not retrogress. We will not retrogress. Listen everyone: Everyone should look for the picture of a dwarf. Its feet face backwards. As it moves, where is it headed? I am pleading with you all. Today I came to unveil myself. Your brother has come. If you do not join me for us to glorify President Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia, I will not benefit. So we are going to serve. We will be going to various homes to tell people about the good works of President Akufo-Addo, which has become the reason why Dr. Bawumia has been able to stand before us and ask us to vote for him.

Appeal for Unity

We do not want the 70% in Ashanti region. The late President Mills once said, “Good things at home are for the benefit of all.” So we want 85%. We no longer want the 75%, but we want the 85%. Before we can achieve the 85%, today my elders and superiors have pleaded. Any member of the NPP who has been offended by a fellow party member should remember that “no matter how one detests or despises the back of his teeth, that is where he licks.” It is said that “you are fighting your mother’s children, but you do not leave food for an outsider to go and enjoy.” Any NPP member who has been offended should forgive us. May God bless those individuals, and may they turn back home to realise that the battle is headed forward for togetherness to lead us to bring victory home. No one from Ashanti land should say something has happened. Nothing has happened. What is yet to happen is for Dr. Bawumia to become the flagbearer of the NPP and for Dr. Napo to become his running mate for the NPP to succeed. President Nana Addo will make it attractive, and we hope that after the election, God will send His angels to put their thumbs on the ballot papers, for the NPP to achieve 90% of the votes.

Closing Remarks

Youth Arise! Youth Arise! Youth Arise! Today is a day for you students. No government has worked so much on education like President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia. I repeat, no government has worked so much on education like President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo and Dr. Bawumia. Recently, we were at the Kumasi market where market men and women said that even if we have not done anything, their children have access to free education. The last 4 years under John Mahama, we were sleeping in darkness. Under Nana Addo’s 4 years, we have had light. If our children attend school for free, are fed freely, given free books and uniforms, even chalk for teachers, what more do we need? Food has been in abundance in schools to the extent that people steal the excess food meant for the free SHS students. Which government is better than Nana Addo’s? So I plead with you, we are going to work hard from here.

I came to express my gratitude, not for politics. If you belong to TESCON and you find yourself in the Ashanti region, the NPP is the government that can give you a good future. ‘Someone’ came to cancel the Nursing and Teacher-Training allowance. He said he would cancel it no matter what, and we can do whatever. We didn’t vote for him, and today he says we should come back to him. Which means someone married your sister, they had no kids, and gave her ill treatment. God helped her with a responsible man who took good care of her, had children with her, and takes good care of the kids. The former husband is now coming back with empty promises. If he wanted to treat her well, he would.

We are not here for jokes. We will roll up our sleeves. We will say for the NPP to hear that their politics have ended. If we were once foolish, today we have been enlightened. If we once forgot, today we have remembered. God bless you all.

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