NAPO says that NIB is questioning Him about their time as Education Minister

Matthew Opoku-Prempeh, who is better known as NAPO, has said that the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) asked him to come in because he was Minister of Education under the previous Nana Akufo-Addo administration.

 The former cabinet minister and New Patriotic Party (NPP) candidate for vice president in 2024 says he has already gone and given the information the state's investigative agency asked for. In an interview with 1957 News, which has since gone viral on social media, Dr. Opoku-Prempeh said that he willingly agreed to the investigation because he is a responsible citizen and former public official. He said, “As for accountability, nobody can escape it.”  “People don’t know that I’ve been invited by the NIB to assist in investigations into some issues during my time at the Ministry of Education. I couldn’t have declined that invitation.” 

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 He also said that he had been to the bureau twice and that he had fully cooperated with investigators, even though he didn't remember every detail from his time in office.  "I've forgotten some of the problems; I can't remember everything that happened while I was in charge. That's why we have technocrats and other people who help run the ministry and keep track of things." I talked to them during the invitation about the things I clearly remember," he said.

 Dr. Opoku-Prempeh stressed the need for honesty and openness in public service and told current politicians to do their jobs with integrity. “I’ve forgotten some of the issues; I can’t remember everything that happened while I was in office. That is why we have technocrats and others who assist in running the ministry and keep records.

For the issues I clearly remember, I spoke to them during the invitation,” he explained. This way, they will be able to easily explain their actions if they are asked to do so tomorrow. He was the former education minister and ran for office as Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia's running mate in the last general election. He said he spent a whole day at the NIB and might be called back for more work. “I have spent my whole day today at the NIB, and I may go there again tomorrow,” he said. 

 Dr. Opoku-Prempeh's comments come at a time when the NIB is said to be stepping up its investigations into the actions of important officials from the last administration. Other well-known people, like Professor Ameyaw Ekumfi and Kwaku Ohene Gyan, who used to be the Deputy Director of Operations for the National Service Authority, have also been asked to come in for questioning.

 The NIB hasn't made an official statement about the ongoing investigations, but sources say that they are looking into the decisions and spending of former government appointees while they were in office.