Nana Kwesi Kutuah
The chiefs and people of Nzema in the Western Region have praised Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh aka Napo, running mate of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) flagbearer, for coming before them and apologising for some comments he made about Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah who was an Nzema.
“This is what we were expecting all this while and we are happy that after apologising to all Ghanaians, Napo visited the Nzema area to apologise in front of the chiefs and people,” they indicated.
The Chief of Nkroful (Dr. Nkrumah’s hometown), Nana Kwasi Kutuah V, pointed out that they have forgiven the Napo, and that he could visit their land any time to campaign.
This was when Dr. Opoku Prempeh visited the hometown of Dr. Kwame Nkrumah and paid a courtesy call on the Chief of Nkroful as part his campaign tour in the Nzema area.
It would be recalled that during the unveiling of Dr. Opoku Prempeh as the NPP’s running mate in Kumasi, he asserted that President Akufo-Addo has surpassed all previous Presidents in terms of development, including Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
Napo’s comment was met with widespread condemnation and he rendered an unqualified apology.
However, some chiefs in Nzema insisted that Napo must personally come before them and apologise.
Napo, therefore, used his visit to the Nzemaland on Friday to officially apologise to the chiefs and to ask for their blessings.
The chiefs pointed out that Napo’s apology was a step in the right direction, and that the apology has been accepted.
He called on the NPP’s running mate and all flagbearers and running mates of all political parties to use appropriate languages, when explaining their policies to the people.
Dr. Opoku Prempeh explained that he did not mean to disrespect Dr. Nkrumah but his words were twisted and misinterpreted.
He made it clear that the NPP government has honoured Dr. Nkrumah’s memory by renovating his final resting place in Accra and, therefore, he cannot disrespect Ghana’s first President in any way.
From Emmanuel Opoku, Nkroful