Former President of the University Teachers Association of Ghana (UTAG), Professor Charles Ofosu Marfo, has offered advice to the New Patriotic Party (NPP) regarding the potential selection of Energy Minister Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as Napo, as running mate.
He emphasized that if Napo is chosen to run alongside Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia for the 2024 elections, it will be crucial for him to have level-headed advisors.
Speaking on Oyerepa TV on June 20, 2024, Prof. Marfo, who is also the Provost of the College of Humanities and Social Sciences (CoHSS) at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), stated, “If you are closer to him, you will realize that he is humble despite people claiming that he is arrogant. I believe that what he needs now is coaching.”
Prof. Marfo highlighted the importance of advisors who can guide Napo on public statements and help him manage public perception, referencing a previous incident involving Napo’s comments about the dumsor (power outage) timetable.
“He needs people around him to coach him, like the statement that he made regarding the dumsor timetable.
They will draw his attention to such utterances and help him understand when to apologize.
“Coming back to apologize is one thing that I always tell politicians. You have to do something different for people to realize that you have accepted your wrongs,” he said.
Prof. Marfo expressed confidence in Napo’s abilities, describing him as a “fine gentleman.”
He believes that with proper coaching and the right team, Napo could be an effective running mate for the NPP.
“If NPP wants him to be their running mate, they will still need level-headed people around him,” Prof. Marfo added.