NAPO Was In Ghana On His Birthday; Ignore Malicious Daily Guide Publication

The Minister of Energy, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh has refuted a media report claiming he spent his birthday flying a private jet to Monaco, purportedly to say at the expense of the Ghanaian taxpayer.

A Daily Guide publication captioned “Napo Celebrates Birthday in Monaco” made such claim but according to a statement issued by the Minister's Spokesperson, Kofi Abrefa Afena, this report is aimed to besmirch the character of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh.

Setting the record straight, the statement read that "on the 23rd of May, 2023 which marked the 55th birthday of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, he was in Ghana and attended a meeting of the Economic Management Team (EMT). On the same day, 23rd May, Dr. Prempeh also attended a Board meeting of the governing Board of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC)".

It added that the day after the Minister's birthday, he was "in his house in the morning, at his instance, where he recorded an appreciation message to his well-wishers for the love shown him on his birthday. He spent the rest of the day of the 24th in his office, where he carried out his routine official duties".

"Dr. Prempeh after seeking the necessary approval from the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, travelled abroad on KLM to Athens for a brief holiday. There is incontrovertible evidence in this regard. The above sequence of events is verifiable", the statement further clarified.

Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh is therefore urging the general public to disregard what he termed as "total fabrication and affront".

"It is important to state that, the Energy Minister is fully aware of the maneuverings of his detractors, especially in the coming days, but remains focused in actualizing the vision of His Excellency the President for the energy sector."

Read full statement below:

Napo Was In Ghana On His Birthday; Ignore Malicious Daily Guide Publication

My attention has been drawn to a clearly, malicious Newspaper Publication in today’s edition of the Daily Guide Newspaper with the caption “Napo Celebrates Birthday in Monaco”. Among other unintelligent postulations, the publication alleges that the Energy Minister and Member of Parliament for Manhyia South flew a certain phantomized private Jet to celebrate his birthday.  The publication which has unfortunately been given front-page prominence, in furtherance of a calculated scheme, is clearly a sordid attempt at besmirching the character of the Minister and to paint him as ostentatious in the eyes of right-thinking Ghanaians. I wish to respond to this total fabrication as follows:

1.    On the 23rd of May, 2023 which marked the 55th birthday of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, he was in Ghana and attended a meeting of the Economic Management Team (EMT).

2.    On the same day, 23rd May, Dr. Prempeh also attended a Board meeting of the governing Board of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC).

3.    On 24th May, the day after, Dr. Prempeh’s birthday, I was in his house in the morning, at his instance, where he recorded an appreciation message to his well-wishers for the love shown him on his birthday.

4.    He spent the rest of the day of the 24th in his office, where he carried out his routine official duties.

5.     Dr. Prempeh after seeking the necessary approval from the Chief of Staff at the Office of the President, travelled abroad on KLM to Athens for a brief holiday.  There is incontrovertible evidence in this regard.

6.    The above sequence of events is verifiable. 

7.    Anybody who knows Dr. Prempeh very well will corroborate the fact that, he does not attach hype and razzmatazz to his birthdays, except, on those days, as an avid Christian, to be alone in sobriety and to thank the almighty God for his grace and mercies. What happened this year was no different.  

The attempt by some cowardly elements who feel threatened by the very personality of Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, manifest in his fidelity to propriety and avowed principle, to uphold the supreme interest of the Republic of Ghana, who seek to court hatred and disaffection for him, has failed woefully. It is only sad that the Daily Guide will resort to this crude route of journalism. 

It is important to state that, the Energy Minister is fully aware of the maneuverings of his detractors, especially in the coming days, but remains focused in actualizing the vision of His Excellency the President for the energy sector.

The general public is kindly asked to completely disregard this publication, which is a total affront to the concept of believability quotient in journalism.  

*END*

…SIGNED…

KOFI ABREFA AFENA

SPOKESPERSON FOR DR. MATTHEW OPOKU PREMPEH (MP) ENERGY MINISTER

Source: Ameyaw Adu Gyamfi/Peacefmonline.com/Ghana