Early Life and Education
Matthew Opoku Prempeh was born on May 23, 1968, in Ashanti New Town, Kumasi, and hails from Pakyi No. 2 in the Ashanti Region of Ghana.
He began his education at KNUST Primary School and continued to Prempeh College in Kumasi for his middle school education.
Opoku Prempeh pursued higher education at Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology (KNUST), studying Human Biology and Medicine. He obtained his MB CHB degree in 1994. Later, he pursued postgraduate studies in MSc. Clinical Epidemiology at the Netherlands Institute of Health Sciences underwent postgraduate surgical training in the UK.
Career and Political Life
Before his political career, Opoku Prempeh served as the Chief Executive Officer of Keyedmap Security Services Limited from 2004 to 2009. He was also a member of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of the United Kingdom from 1999 to 2003.
He entered Ghanaian politics and was elected as the Member of Parliament for Manhyia South on the New Patriotic Party (NPP) ticket in 2008. He has consistently retained his seat, winning overwhelming majorities in subsequent elections, including 2016 and 2020.
Opoku Prempeh served on various parliamentary committees, including Defence and Interior and the Appointments Committee. In January 2017, he was appointed Minister for Education under President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo’s administration. During his tenure, he played a pivotal role in implementing the NPP’s flagship Free Senior High School (Free SHS) program.
After four years as Minister for Education, Opoku Prempeh was appointed Minister for Energy in 2021 following the NPP’s victory in the 2020 elections.
Becoming NPP’s Running Mate
Opoku Prempeh emerged as a frontrunner for the NPP’s vice-presidential candidate position during discussions between Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, the party’s flagbearer, and President Akufo-Addo on June 25, 2024, at the Jubilee House.
His nomination was formally submitted during this meeting and approved by President Akufo-Addo. The National Council at Alisa Hotel ratified the final decision to appoint Opoku Prempeh as the NPP’s running mate on July 4, 2024.
