Accra, Ghana – Vice-President Mahamudu Bawumia of the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) has chosen Energy Minister Matthew Opoku Prempeh as his running mate for the upcoming December presidential election. President Nana Akufo-Addo, who will leave office in January 2025 after serving the maximum eight years allowed by the constitution, has endorsed this decision.
Bawumia, an economist and former central banker who was named the NPP’s presidential candidate last November, will face off against former President John Dramani Mahama. Both candidates hail from northern Ghana, a predominantly Muslim region that lags economically behind the southern parts of the country.
Prempeh’s Background and Role
Prempeh, 56, is a lawmaker, doctor, and Christian from the Asante region. His selection follows a tradition in Ghanaian politics of choosing running mates from different religious and ethnic backgrounds to foster unity and attract a broader voter base. Prempeh has served as a lawmaker since 2008 and was the education minister from 2017 to 2020, where he implemented the free senior high school policy under President Akufo-Addo. Despite facing criticism for its execution, the policy remains a significant aspect of his tenure. In January 2021, Prempeh became the energy minister, addressing an ongoing energy crisis that had previously been a point of contention under Mahama’s administration.
Political Implications
Bawumia’s selection of Prempeh aims to bolster the NPP’s support in the Asante region, where concerns have arisen about limited opportunities for party members. This strategic move seeks to consolidate the party’s base while promoting national unity through diverse representation. Bawumia is notably the first Muslim to lead a major party in Ghana since 1992 and the first non-Akan to lead the NPP.
The Opposition
Mahama, in his third bid for the presidency, has retained Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang, a former education minister and literature professor from central Ghana, as his running mate. This continuity in his campaign team signals his confidence in their previous performance and aims to leverage their established political rapport.
As Ghana approaches the December election, the competition between Bawumia and Mahama is set to intensify, with both sides aiming to address the nation’s economic and social challenges while appealing to a diverse electorate.
