The Convention People’s Party (CPP) has called for the resignation of Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the running mate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) from all political and government positions.
This follows his comparison of Dr Kwame Nkrumah, Ghana’s first President, to President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, regarding the contributions of both Presidents to the development of Ghana during his unveiling as the NPP’s running mate in Kumasi on Tuesday.
The CPP in a statement shared with the Ghana News Agency on Wednesday demanded an unqualified apology from Dr Prempeh for his comments, which the party described as reprehensible.
“The statement is so reprehensible and unbecoming of his stature that it is abhorrent to refer to it, or even publish it anywhere, whether print or electronic media, and deserves to be immediately deleted from all forums.
“The Convention People’s Party calls on the Honourable Minister, within 24 hours, to do the ‘Honourable’ thing for the sake of the Country’s image, and immediately resign from all Governmental and political positions, and issue an immediate apology and retraction,” the statement said.
The CPP said it would stage a street protest if Dr Prempeh failed to resign or the President declined to sack him from office as Energy Minister.
The Party expressed concern over what it described as an attempt to disregard the contributions of Dr Nkrumah to Ghana and Africa by some political actors, adding that the virtues of Ghana’s first President must be safeguarded and respected.
“A man who, almost thirty years after his death in the year 2000, still won African of the Millennium, has a monument named after him in almost every country, and is a respected and recognisable name in every country and in every history book on modern Ghanaian, African and liberation politics on the planet.
“This is a matter which should not be flogged like a dead horse, but rather immediate, swift and effective action be taken, to remedy an almost irremediable blunder, and attempt to restore what is left of an already terribly sullied national image,” the Party said.
