The 2024 running mate of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has called on persons in positions of power and authority to use their offices to influence benefits for the community.
He emphasized that royalty entails a responsibility to serve others rather than being served by others.
Dr. Prempeh, who, together with the NPP flagbearer, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia are themselves royals, pledged to offer themselves for service to humanity when the people of Ghana vote for them to take the mantle of leadership in the next governance of the country.
"Royalty is not just a title or a privilege, but a call to service. It is a responsibility to lead, to guide, and to serve our people with humility and integrity," he noted.
Dr. Prempeh, known in political circles as Napo, made these observations on Thursday, July 25, 2024, when he paid a courtesy call on the Paramount Chief of New Juaben Traditional Area, Nana Kwadwo Yeboah Gyamfi, to ask for his blessings and guidance as he embarks on his campaign journey.
The Chiefs listened to him with rapt attention as their faces were adorned with wisdom and experience, Dr. Prempeh continued, "As royals, you have been entrusted with the welfare of your people. You are the custodians of our traditions, our culture, and our values. Your role is not just to reign but to serve as a beacon of hope, a symbol of unity, and a source of inspiration."
Napo, the Apedwafie royal, assured the traditional leaders that under the leadership of Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the Chieftaincy and religious institutions will be recognized as partners in development in all structures of governance so they can contribute meaningfully to the growth of Ghana.
The Paramount Chief of the New Juaben Traditional Area, Nana Kwadwo Yeboah Gyamfi, welcomed Napo and his entourage to his palace.
The Omanhene stated that he is convinced that Napo's elevation to the position of running mate was through his hard work, commitment, and dedication to service, especially in his handling of two sensitive government positions: the Ministry of Education and the Ministry of Energy.
He prayed for divine blessings upon Napo's life and expressed his belief that when the NPP wins the 2024 general elections, Dr. Prempeh and Dr. Bawumia will serve the country diligently.
"I am totally convinced that Napo and Bawumia will succeed. Their journey ahead is not easy, but I know that with hard work, they will succeed," he noted.
The traditional leaders appealed to Dr. Prempeh to work assiduously to clamp down on illegal mining, popularly known as galamsey, when the party retains power, as the menace is adversely affecting their water bodies.
They also appealed to him to ensure that the government creates employment opportunities for the teeming unemployed youth to get jobs and make a sustainable living.
Furthermore, the chiefs appealed to Dr. Prempeh to work hand-in-hand with his boss, Dr. Bawumia, to complete all projects started by the previous government but could not complete before moving out of power.
Napo was accompanied by the National Organizer of the NPP, Henry Nana Boakye, Eastern Regional Minister, Seth Acheampong, Eastern Regional executives of the NPP led by Jeff Konadu, Minister of State at the Ministry of Local Government, Decentralization, and Rural Development, Osei Bonsu Amoah, and the Parliamentary candidates for New Juaben North and South, Kwame Appiah Kodua and Michael Okyere Baafi.