The Okuapemhene, Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III, has praised the humility of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh (Napo) and urged Ghanaians to vote overwhelmingly for the New Patriotic Party (NPP) in the upcoming general elections. This will ensure that the strong foundation set by the Akufo-Addo/Bawumia government can continue and flourish in the Bawumiah/Napo era.
According to him, the decision of the NPP presidential candidate and his running mate to seek the blessings and directions of traditional and religious leaders before embarking on their political campaigns lends credence to their humility and respect for tradition and religion. “I know you are humble, judging from your royal background. All we are looking for from you is to be forthright and candid in all your dealings.
If you have accepted being the running mate of Dr Bawumia, then you have to be his partner to do all the necessary work for him to succeed,” he noted. He stated that the Okuapem royal (President Akufo-Addo) has achieved so much that it will only be a matter of time before the many scattered achievements come to the notice of Ghanaians.
He has, therefore, tasked the presidential running mate and his team to sell the records of these achievements so that Ghanaians will vote massively for the NPP in the upcoming elections. Oseadeeyo Kwasi Akuffo III made these observations when Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh paid a courtesy call on him at his residence in Akropong on Thursday, 25 July 2024.
Speaking further, the traditional leader noted that the initiative to incorporate chieftaincy and religious leadership into the nation’s developmental agenda, spearheaded by Dr. Bawumia and supported by Dr. Prempeh, is commendable.
The Okuapemhene corroborated his claim, saying that Dr Prempeh’s acknowledgement of the role traditional rulers played in the struggle for independence and the establishment of the UP tradition clearly shows the respect and dignity they intend to accord chieftaincy and religious institutions if Ghanaians give them the mandate to continue their good works.
He congratulated Dr Prempeh on his elevation to the position of running mate of the NPP, explaining that such a milestone was not achieved easily. “It is because of your hard work for the party and country that you have been chosen to partner Dr Bawumia, and I strongly believe that you will deliver,” he noted.
He urged Dr Prempeh, known in political circles as Napo, not to relent but rather work assiduously to support Dr Bawumia in winning and retaining power for the NPP. “If you have been chosen as the running mate, it means all of us will rely on you and the leader. It also means that you have to be the backbone of the leader to ensure victory is achieved. I strongly believe that when the NPP wins power, you will empower traditional leaders to reposition them in the development agenda of the country,” he emphasised.
On his part, Dr Prempeh acknowledged the role chiefs played in the independence power struggle of the nation through their efforts of prayer and a sense of unity and coordination. He further explained that the establishment of the UP tradition was through the efforts of traditional leaders, but anytime the history of Ghana is being told, the role traditional leaders played is often not acknowledged to the extent that it has become an adage that chiefs don’t meddle in politics. That notwithstanding, the chiefs, he added, have not stopped praying for the peace, unity, and development of the community.
He assured the traditional leaders that when the NPP wins power, they will be put in their rightful places to contribute meaningfully to the nation’s development. He then introduced the Parliamentary Candidates of Akuapem South, Eric Apeadu Yeboah, Akuapem North, Samuel Awuku, and Okere, Daniel Nana Addo Kenneth, to the Okuapemhene and appealed for his support for these candidates.
Reporting by Wilberforce Asare in Accra
