Former Minister for Energy and former running mate to former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, says the strongest case for Dr Bawumia is not ambition, but evidence of work done long before any presidential contest.
In an interview on Asempa FM in Accra, Dr Prempeh suggested that Ghana’s politics often overlooks preparation in favour of noise, a tendency he believes shortchanges candidates with deep records.
“Leadership does not start when you declare your intention,” he said. “It starts years before, when no one is paying attention.”
Dr Prempeh pointed to Dr Bawumia’s role in the New Patriotic Party’s internal work following the disputed 2012 presidential election, describing it as one of the least celebrated but most demanding moments in the party’s recent history.
“The pink sheet work required patience and accuracy. It was not something you did for applause,” he said. “That process tested discipline and commitment.”
According to him, that episode revealed a side of Dr Bawumia that is often ignored in public debate, his focus on detail and systems rather than slogans.
He argued that the same approach later shaped Dr Bawumia’s influence in government, particularly in the push for digital reforms.
As former Vice President, Dr Bawumia led the charge for policies such as the Ghana Card, health insurance interoperability, and the integration of public databases.
“These reforms were not popular at the start,” Dr Prempeh said. “But governance is not about comfort. It is about building systems that work.”
He acknowledged that digitalisation has attracted criticism, especially from citizens frustrated by registration challenges and system failures, but insisted that the long term gains remain significant.
“When systems are weak, people suffer quietly. When systems change, the complaints become loud,” he said.
Dr Prempeh also referenced Dr Bawumia’s economic background, noting that his training and experience at the Bank of Ghana shaped his understanding of fiscal policy and macroeconomic management.
“This is someone who understands how the economy behaves under pressure,” he stated.
He cautioned against dismissing experience simply because it lacks excitement, arguing that state leadership demands endurance and restraint.
“Politics rewards excitement, but governance demands patience,” he said.
Dr Prempeh concluded that national leadership should be assessed through preparation and consistency, not novelty.
“In this country, we often look for the new thing. But sometimes, the safer option is the person who has already been tested,” he said.
His comments come at a time when political discussions are shifting from personalities to competence, as parties reflect on the kind of leadership required to manage Ghana’s economic and institutional challenges in the years ahead.
