Matthew Opoku Prempeh
Hon. Matthew Opoku Prempeh | |
|---|---|
| Minister of Education | |
| In office 10 January 2017 – 6 January 2021 | |
| President | Nana Akufo-Addo |
| Preceded by | Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang |
| Member of the Ghana Parliament for the Manhyia South Constituency | |
| Assumed office 7 January 2009 | |
| Preceded by | Dr. Kwame Addo-Kufuor |
| Personal details | |
| Born | 23 May 1968 |
| Nationality | Ghanaian |
| Political party | New Patriotic Party |
| Alma mater | Prempeh College Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology Harvard Kennedy School |
| Profession | Medical Doctor, Politician |
Matthew Opoku Prempeh, (born 23 May 1968) is the a Ghanaian medical doctor and politician. He is a member of the New Patriotic Party who is a Member of Parliament for Manhyia South Constituency in the Ashanti Region of Ghana. He is a former Minister of Education. He is popularly known as Napo.[1][2] On 22 January 2021, he was nominated by Nana Akufo-Addo as the Minister designate for Energy.[3]
Early life and education
He was born on 23 May 1968. Prempeh studied Human Biology and Medicine at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology, later continuing post-graduate studies at the Netherlands Institute of Health Sciences and the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University.[4][5]
Career
Prior to parliament, Prempeh served as CEO of Keyedmap Security Services Limited from 2004 to 2009[6] and as a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2003.[6] He is also a medical doctor.[7]
Politics
Member of parliament
As a Ghana parliamentarian, he represents Manhyia South in Kumasi, formerly representing Manhyia. [4] He was first elected to parliament in 2008 and is a member of the New Patriotic Party.[6] In 2016, he was re-elected with 35,958 votes, or 87.17% of the votes cast in the district.[8] He was a member of the health committee and appointments committee. Prempeh contested the 2020 Ghanaian general election as a parliamentary candidate for the Manhyia South constituency, under the banner of the New Patriotic Party and won by a large margin.[9]
Minister of Education
He was appointed by President Nana Akufo-Addo on 10 January 2017 to serve as Minister for Education of Ghana.[4] He served in that role for 4 years till 6 January 2021 when the tenure of office of the president and his ministers ended.
In May 2017, President Nana Akufo-Addo named Prempeh as part of the nineteen ministers who would form his cabinet.[10] The names of the 19 ministers were submitted the Parliament of Ghana and announced by the Speaker of the House, Rt. Hon. Prof. Mike Ocquaye.[10] As a Cabinet minister, Prempeh was part of the inner circle of the president and was to aid in key decision making activities in the country.[10]
Prempeh also contributed to the educational sector of Ghana as a Minister of Education such as improving the infrastructure and promoting vocational and technical education (TVET) and leading the government's flagship programme ''FREE SHS''.[11][12]
Personal life
He identifies as a Christian[6] and is a nephew of the former Ghanaian president, John Kufuor.[13] He is divorced.[14]
References
- ^ "Matthew Opoku Prempeh is Minister designate for Education". Citi 97.3 FM - Relevant Radio. Always. 10 January 2017. Retrieved 27 April 2020.
- ^ "Napo Leads Covid-19 Stigma Fight". DailyGuide Network. 18 July 2020. Retrieved 19 July 2020.
- ^ "Akufo-Addo nominates new ministers for second term; over 16 ministers maintain portfolio". Graphic Online. 21 January 2021. Retrieved 22 January 2021.
{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: url-status (link) - ^ a b c Annang, Adolphus. "Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh – Education - Government of Ghana". www.ghana.gov.gh. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
- ^ Forum, Education World. "Hon Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh - Speakers". Education World Forum. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ a b c d Ghana, ICT Dept. Office of Parliament. "Parliament of Ghana". www.parliament.gh. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
- ^ "Ghana MPs - MP Details - Prempeh, Matthew Opoku (Dr)". www.ghanamps.com. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
- ^ FM, Peace. "Ghana Election 2016 Results - Manhyia South Constituency". Ghana Elections - Peace FM. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
- ^ FM, Peace. "Manhyia South Constituency Results - Election 2020". Ghana Elections - Peace FM. Retrieved 11 December 2020.
- ^ a b c FM, Citi. "Arts Minister Catherine Afeku makes it to Cabinet". ghanaweb.com. ghanaweb. Retrieved 7 July 2017.
- ^ "We've initiated 1,011 SHS projects since 2017— NAPO". Graphic Online. Retrieved 7 December 2020.
- ^ "We've invested over $800 million in education sector since 2017 – Matthew Opoku Prempeh". Citinewsroom - Comprehensive News in Ghana. 14 October 2020. Retrieved 8 December 2020.
- ^ "Kufuor Grandson Joins Race". ModernGhana.com. Retrieved 13 May 2017.
- ^ "Ghana MPs - MP Details - Prempeh, Matthew Opoku (Dr)". www.ghanamps.com. Retrieved 25 January 2020.
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