Energy Minister Denies ‘Useless’ Comments Against Bawumia, Says It’s False

The Minister for Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has asked Ghanaians to disregard a video in which he is said to have described Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as useless.

In a press statement issued on Tuesday, Dr. Prempeh’s spokesperson, Kofi Abrefa Afena, explained that, his boss made those assertions in 2014 in reaction to the State of the Nation address presented by then President John Dramani Mahama.

He said the video in question has been brought back by his detractors to put his boss in a bad light.

“The said interview by Dr. Prempeh was in February 2014, in reaction to the State of the Nation Address of then President John Mahama where he blamed the country’s economic woes on external shocks. In fact, at the time, the Cedi was rated as the worst-performing currency in the world.”

“It is therefore unfathomable, how any reasonable person, after listening to this straight-forward interview, would nonetheless conclude that Dr. Prempeh was referring to His Excellency the Vice President. Indeed, in the said clip, Dr. Prempeh kept referring to “the President” so that cannot possibly be in reference to Dr. Bawumia, who has never served as President of this republic.”

Dr. Prempeh’s spokesperson in the statement issued on Tuesday, December 19, emphasized Dr. Opoku Prempeh’s unwavering confidence in Dr. Bawumia, declaring him the best choice for both Ghanaians and the NPP to secure a victory in the upcoming elections.

“Dr. Prempeh wishes to reiterate his absolute belief and confidence in the flagbearer of the NPP, His Excellency, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia as the most competent and credible candidate, with the proven incorruptibility, to beat the NDC flagbearer in 2024, based on the NPP’s superior record in government.”

“For the avoidance of doubt, the Energy Minister is of the firm view that, the people of Ghana on the balance of probabilities, will renew the NPP mandate with Dr Bawumia because, even in the face of genuine global shocks, as attested to by former President Mahama in his foreign engagements, the government has remained resolute, steering the country out of the woods,” Dr. Prempeh’s spokesperson said in the statement.