NPP National Council approves Opoku Prempeh as Bawumia’s running mate

The National Council of the New Patriotic Party has endorsed the decision by the flagbearer Dr Mahamudu Bawumia to pick Energy Minister, Matthew Opoku Prempeh as his running mate for the upcoming elections.

The National Council endorsed the decision on Thursday after earlier meetings with the National Executive Council, and the National Steering Committee of the party.

Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, is also the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South and former Education Minister.

His selection is seen as a strategic move by Bawumia to consolidate support within the party and across the country, especially in the Ashanti region.

PROFILE

Born on May 23, 1968, in Ashanti New Town, a suburb of Kumasi, NAPO hails from Pakyi No. 2 in the Ashanti Region.

He started his basic education at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST) Primary and continued to Prempeh College in Kumasi for his middle school education

He studied Human Biology and Medicine at KNUST and completed his MB CHB in 1994. He continued with post-graduate studies in MSc. Clinical Epidemiology at the Netherlands Institute of Health Sciences in 1998 and at the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University where he studied Leadership and Government(certificate course). In 2002, he pursued postgraduate training in surgery in the UK (MRCS).

Prior to entering parliament, NAPO served as CEO of Keyedmap Security Services Limited from 2004 to 2009. He is also a medical doctor and served as a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2003.