A few hours ago, Vice President Bawumia presented Dr. Mathew Opoku Prempeh to the National Council of the New Patriotic Party as his choice of Running Mate—a choice I consider disastrous.
During my tenure as a National Executive Member of the Teacher Trainees’ Association of Ghana (TTAG), I encountered Dr. Opoku-Prempeh, who was then the Minister of Education, numerous times. From these encounters, I can affirm that “Napo is arrogant.”
What I personally experienced was the disrespectfulness that accompanied his arrogance.
On June 4, 2018, the leadership of TTAG met with Dr. Opoku- Prempeh and Professor Salifu, who was then the Executive Secretary for the National Council for Tertiary Education (NCTE). During this meeting, Napo shouted at me for referencing a memo he presented to the cabinet concerning Teacher Education Reforms. I have a picture taken by his official photographer, showing Napo looking at the screen of a mobile phone while I was being berated for providing evidence from his memo. Insults from Napo were so frequent that this incident seemed almost normal.
A colleague of mine faced a similar ordeal in the same meeting. His “crime” was suggesting that Napo consider expanding the colleges of education to accommodate more students. Mohammed also endured insults from Napo, which had become the norm.
However, the most traumatizing moment was Napo’s ability to hurl insults at Mrs. Eva Haizel, then Director of Tertiary Education at the Ministry of Education. This is a woman who could be the mother of almost all the TTAG executives present, and Napo had the audacity to insult her to the point of making her weep in front of us. I have never been able to come to terms with that moment and cannot forgive Napo for it.
While I have personally faced insults from Napo and bear no grudges, as I consider it normal due to our age difference, insulting someone who could be my mother is entirely unacceptable. Whenever I had the chance to grant interviews on radio or TV, I made sure to retaliate by throwing jabs at him for what he put us through.
I know Napo had no respect of trainee teachers and teachers while serving as the Sector Minister.
Several times he fought with labour unions and student unions.
Minister Napo similarly scolded former CETAG General Secretary , Mr Hemeng.
Several times, I know he locked horns with PRINCOF and Vice Chancellors council, and he didn’t “spare” them.
If all unions leaders in the education space would attest to this. Napo? Not not not!!!
Once, at the studios of Asempa FM, a journalist shared a similar experience with me. She recounted how, after a press conference at the Ministry of Information, Napo ordered the journalists to pick up the room as if they were his children.
A man who has no respect for humanity does not deserve to be Vice President of this country. This is a man I have personally encountered, and I know he is indeed disrespectfully arrogant.
Wherever and whenever he calls me to respond, I shall gladly make myself available.
Did I forget, he’s blocked me on WhatsApp? That was done even when I was a National Executive of TTAG.
EKOW DJAN
FORMER TTAG GENERAL SECRETARY
0241466848
