Opoku Prempeh Apologizes to Mahama, Professor Opoku-Agyemang | Politics

The Energy Minister-designate apologized and retracted an accusation he made against former President John Dramani Mahama that he bused students and parents to Black Star Square on September 17, 2017 to cause confusion during the Computerized Selection System. and School Placement (CSSPS) for students.

The nominee, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, told Parliament’s Appointments Committee that he had no evidence to substantiate the allegation that Mr. Mahama gave GH ¢ 20 and GH ¢ 50 to some students and parents to go to the place to stage fainting spells. and collapse only to make the government unpopular.

“Yes, I said those words but I have no proof. I am sorry and I apologize, ”he stated when he appeared at his investigative hearing before the committee last Friday.

Dr. Opoku Prempeh apologized and withdrew after a committee member, the Member of Parliament for North Tongu, Mr. Samuel Okudzeto Ablakwa, expressed concern about the former Minister of Education’s temperament and public pronouncements.

Context

The Ministry of Education had established a center in Black Star Square for ministry officials to serve parents and guardians whose children and wards could not be placed in various upper secondary schools (SHS) in September 2017.

The nominee had said on an Accra-based radio station Asempa FM that former President Mahama transported people to Black Star Square to create confusion and give the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government a bad name.

“I can assure you that it was John Mahama who sent people to come and create confusion to give the government a bad reputation,” Ablakwa said, citing the nominee.

Allegation?

When asked if he supported those allegations, Dr. Opoku Prempeh initially asked if the president could bring the former president before the Committee so that he (the nominee) would ask the question of the former president to tell him that he did not transport people in bus.

The chairman of the commission, Mr. Joseph Osei-Owusu, who is also the first deputy speaker of Parliament, did not take the nominee’s response warmly and told him that he could not bring the former president before the commission.

Therefore, he ordered the designated person, who is the MP from Manhyia South, to answer the question.

In response, the appointee told the committee that he had no evidence to show that the former president did what he was accused of.

Dr. Opoku Prempeh later apologized and said, “Yes, maybe I will make those comments differently next time.”

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang

Shortly after apologizing, Ablakwa again referenced a November 14, 2017, Daily Graphic post with the headline “Prof. Naana Jane Opoku Agyemang was a disgrace as a minister ”, which was attributed to the nominee.

He accused him of using what he described as “unprintable and uncharitable words” against the former Minister of Education, Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang.