The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has strongly condemned the recent statements made by Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the running mate of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), regarding the legacy of Ghana’s first president and founder of the CPP, Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
During his official unveiling on Tuesday, Dr. Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, claimed that the achievements of President Akufo-Addo surpassed those of Dr. Nkrumah, a statement that has sparked widespread controversy and backlash across the country.
Many Ghanaians have accused NAPO of attempting to rewrite history and diminish the monumental contributions of Dr. Nkrumah.
Speaking to JoyNews, the CPP’s Political Affairs Chairman, Kwame Jantuah, questioned the validity of NAPO’s claims and defended the legacy of Dr. Nkrumah.
“Has Nana Addo been named the Millennium Gentleman of the Century? Does Nana Addo have his statue at the OAU building? Does Nana Addo have a mausoleum that shows who he was and what he did for this country? Has Nana Addo fought for the independence of Ghana? The factories Nana Addo claims he set up, can any of them compare to Nkrumah’s factories? So how can you compare the two? How? From time immemorial, the loans that we took, does it amount to what Nana Addo has taken? So what was he talking about?” Jantuah quizzed.
Jantuah expressed bewilderment over why NAPO would even consider comparing Dr. Nkrumah to President Akufo-Addo, implying that such a comparison is not only inappropriate but also unfounded.
“Why the comparison? Is it because they are scared of Akufo-Addo?” he asked.
In his remarks, Jantuah advised NAPO to focus on his campaign message and avoid engaging in what he termed as propaganda. He urged NAPO to address the pressing issues facing the country and outline his plans to improve the state of the economy and support his potential role as Vice President, should the NPP win the upcoming elections.
“He should come and tell Ghanaians how he sees the state of our economy, what he is prepared as a Vice President – if NPP wins the elections, to do to help his boss,” Jantuah stated.
The CPP’s condemnation adds to the growing disapproval from various quarters of the political spectrum.