Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as Napo has pushed back against criticism that former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia stepped away from economic matters during the latter part of the previous administration.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen show, the 2024 New Patriotic Party (NPP) running mate explained that Bawumia’s focus on digital transformation in the second half of the government’s tenure was a strategic choice, not an avoidance of economic duties.
According to Napo, Bawumia was actively engaged in economic management during the first four years of the Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo government. When the context changed, he said, the Vice President shifted his emphasis toward digitalisation as an alternative way to support the economy, particularly at a time when his direct influence over traditional economic levers was limited.
He argued that this repositioning should not be seen as a retreat from responsibility. Instead, it reflected an adaptation to structural constraints within the administration, where the Vice President does not hold sole executive authority over economic policy.
Napo also contended that Ghana’s economy remained relatively well-managed even during global disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic, though he noted that public perception often attributes economic outcomes to factors beyond any single individual’s control.
The remarks come amid ongoing debates about economic performance and leadership roles within the NPP as the party prepares for upcoming elections.