Fiifi Boafo, spokesperson for the NPP running mate Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, has downplayed the controversy surrounding Dr. Opoku Prempeh’s recent comments comparing President Akufo-Addo’s achievements to those of Ghana’s first President, Kwame Nkrumah.
Fiifi Boafo clarified that Dr. Opoku Prempeh, known as NAPO, did not intend to undermine Nkrumah’s legacy but was expressing a personal opinion.
During his unveiling ceremony in the Ashanti Region on July 9, NAPO claimed that no president in Ghana’s history has outperformed President Akufo-Addo, sparking calls for an apology and retraction.
However, on Accra-based Citi FM on July 10, Fiifi Boafo urged critics to provide evidence to support or refute NAPO’s claims rather than criticizing him.
“It is not an imposition. The fact that NAPO has said it [doesn’t] mean that he is forcing it down your throat. He holds a strong view on that, and it is that the government has done well. If you have a contrary view, you are free to advance your argument and say, ‘I disagree with your point, and this is the reason why I disagree with your point.’
“But the sad thing is that people are not ready to offer a contrary position backed by evidence to say that we believe that Nkrumah did A, B, and C, and so we believe that Nkrumah did better than Akufo-Addo,” he stated.
“I have even heard statements from some people who say they are members of the CPP…and because he mentioned Nkrumah’s name, it is a crime. I don’t believe that is a crime, and it is the reason Dr Prempeh was making the point that he doesn’t feel intimidated to the effect that he cannot even express a view.
“If you disagree with him, you can give evidence to that effect. It does not mean that you cannot hold a position or have an opinion. What is the point of serving in a government if you cannot defend it?” he quizzed.
Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh defended his remarks, lamenting that in Ghanaian politics, truth-tellers are often labeled disrespectful while liars are praised.
