Traditional leaders from Nkroful, the hometown of Ghana’s first President, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, have forgiven Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) running mate, for his controversial remarks about Nkrumah.
On July 9, during the announcement of Dr. Prempeh as the running mate to Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, he claimed that President Akufo-Addo had outperformed Dr. Nkrumah in terms of Ghana’s development. The comment drew widespread criticism and backlash, prompting Dr. Prempeh to retract his statement and issue an apology to the public.
The traditional leaders of Nkroful joined the chorus of disapproval and requested a personal apology from Dr. Prempeh. On August 9, 2024, as part of his campaign tour in the Western Region, particularly in Nzema Land, Dr. Prempeh visited Nkroful to offer a personal apology to the traditional leaders and the local community.
In his apology, Dr. Prempeh stated, “I grew up among the Nzema people and consider them my own. I would never intentionally disrespect Nkrumah. Anyone who disrespects Nkrumah will face consequences. Nkrumah has contributed significantly to our country. My remarks were misconstrued, and I sincerely apologize to Ghanaians. I am here to personally apologize and ask for your forgiveness; we are all one people.”
Chief Nana Kwasi Kutua of Nkroful responded by accepting Dr. Prempeh’s apology and advised against future errors. “Dr. Prempeh’s comments were rightly condemned by Ghanaians as they were unwarranted. We appreciate the public’s reaction and acknowledge Nkrumah’s substantial contributions to the nation. We are a peaceful people and wish to avoid any chaos in Ghana caused by misunderstandings. Dr. Prempeh’s apology to us was necessary, and we accept it.”
Dr. Prempeh’s visit to Nkroful is part of his campaign efforts in the Western Region, where he is introducing himself to voters ahead of the 2024 general elections.
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