News
Dr. Prempeh: A trustworthy ‘servant’ of Manhyia South
• The library is named after the late Ashanti Queen, Nana
Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II
At a time that some Members of Parliament (MPs) are going through a huge crisis because of the disconnect between them and their constituents, one MP who is enjoying a peaceful relationship and an unflinching support from his area is the MP for Manhyia South Constituency, Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh.
There is a strong bond between the MP and the Manhyia Palace as well as the electorate because of his unique posture of seeing himself as the servant of the people as he consults and listens to them always.
Since 2009 that he first entered Parliament, Dr. Prempeh has been there for the good people of Manhyia South, and they have also been there for him.
Napo, as Dr. Prempeh is affectionately called, has delivered so well that it does not surprise the people of Manhyia South to wake up in the morning to see another development project commencing.
The MP recently mesmerised the Manhyia Palace with an ultra-modern library located at Ashtown and named after the late Ashanti Queen, Nana Afia Kobi Serwaa Ampem II.
The 200-seater edifice boasts of free wifi, 36 computers and other modern amenities to promote easy learning by students and the public.
The one-storey library project has been stocked with some 10,000 books for its patrons, especially students, to study and acquire new knowledge.
The decision by Dr. Prempeh to honour the late Ashanti Queen posthumously was to appreciate the key roles she played in promoting education in the Ashanti Region and beyond during her reign.
The MP, who is also a former education minister, during the commission of the project, said that he decided, together with the people of the area, to name the library after the late Queen to honour her for her good works for the country and also to motivate others to emulate her.
Napo, who is a royal from Apagyafie, entreated the youth of the area and Kumasi to constantly visit the library and add to their knowledge, adding it was only through education that the gap between the rich and the poor in society could be narrowed.
The land for the project was provided by the Asantehene. Otumfuo Osei Tutu II, who is the first born of the late Nana Afia Kobi Ampem II.
Traditional rulers who were present at the event at the behest of the Manhyia Palace were full of praises to Dr. Prempeh for his understanding of the importance of education and his readiness to promote same in the area.
What is more striking is the fact that at no point did Dr. Prempeh mention the quantum of money spent on the project in honour of the late Ashanti Queen.
Mindful of the role of the youth in development, Dr. Prempeh, in June this year, rolled out a youth entrepreneurship empowerment project in the constituency to tackle youth unemployment by equipping them with the needed training skills to employ themselves and their families.
The project, dubbed “Reducing unemployment through skills training,’’ in partnership with the College of Beauty and Arts and Entrepreneurship (CBAE), started on June 27, this year.
Some 80 trainees selected from the six electoral areas within the Manhyia South Constituency have been equipped in Make-Up Artistry, Beauty Technology and Fashion Design Technology training for seven weeks.
What is unique is that Dr. Prempeh took care of all the equipment needed for the seven weeks’ training programme and start-up equipment, as well.
The youth of Manhyia South who were enthused about the magnanimity of the MP have vowed to take advantage of the skills training agenda and start up their own businesses.
The Chief of Kokoso, in the Ashanti Region, Nana Kwaku Duah, who was at the launch of the programme, advised the youth to embrace the opportunity with a high sense of seriousness for the betterment of their future.
Nana Kwaku Duah would not stop praising Dr. Prempeh for empowering the youth of Manhyia South, saying: “The electorate will always remember him for his good works.”
One thing that makes the people happy is the fact that their MP does not singlehandedly decide the kind of projects they should have, rather, he involves the people to take decisions on what would inure to their collective benefit.
Dr. Prempeh, who is the current energy minister, in his own way since becoming the MP for Manhyia South, has delivered beyond expectation and it is not out of nothing that the chiefs, opinion leaders, school children and the youth across the political divide see him as a trustworthy servant of the area.
By Godfred Opare Djan
News
Criminal and Seditious Libel Law was repealed in 2001 yet we still face harassment – NPP
The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has criticised the government for what it calls a return to the “culture of silence” in Ghana, despite the repeal of the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law more than two decades ago.
In a press statement issued on Wednesday, the party said the arrest and detention of its Bono Regional Chairman, Kwame Baffoe, also known as Abronye, for allegedly insulting the Inspector General of Police (IGP) was the latest sign of political intimidation.
According to the NPP, eight months into President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, state security had been “weaponised” not to fight illegal mining or protect citizens, but to intimidate and punish dissenting voices.
The party said insecurity in areas such as Bawku, Nkwanta and Gbeniyiri in the Savannah Region had claimed more than 32 lives and displaced over 50,000 people, yet the police and national security were more focused on arresting opposition supporters and social media users for their posts.
The NPP noted that Ghana abolished the Criminal and Seditious Libel Law in 2001 under President John Agyekum Kufuor to protect free speech and media freedoms.
It described the recent arrests of opposition members as an erosion of those democratic gains.
The party said it did not condone insults or vulgar language in public discourse but stressed that anyone who felt defamed should seek redress through civil defamation suits, not criminal prosecution.
It also accused the government of undermining the judiciary by “weaponising” it against political opponents, citing the removal of the Chief Justice.
“The growing climate of intimidation and criminalisation of speech is a serious assault on Ghana’s democracy,” the statement signed by NPP General Secretary Justin Kodua Frimpong said.
The NPP called on all Ghanaians to resist what it described as a return to tyranny and pledged to roll out a series of actions to protect the country’s democratic gains.
By: Jacob Aggrey
News
NIA opens Premium Centres to register children
The National Identification Authority (NIA) has started registering Ghanaian children aged between six and 14 years at all its Premium Centres across the country.
The Authority says the exercise is part of its duty to register every Ghanaian, both at home and abroad, so that all citizens can have a secure and verifiable national identity.
It explained in a statement issued today that the registration will help build a complete and inclusive National Identity Register (NIR) that captures every Ghanaian from childhood.
According to the NIA, the fee for first-time registration at Premium Centres is GHS 310, which is the approved charge for premium services.
The Authority said the requirements are the same as for applicants aged 15 years and above.
It affirmed that Parents or legal guardians were required to present either a valid Ghanaian passport of the child, the original copy of the child’s birth certificate, or be a Ghana Card holder who can vouch for the child.
The NIA also announced that from Monday, September 15, 2025, its online registration and booking system will be extended to the remaining 11 Premium Centres nationwide.
This it said will allow parents and guardians to schedule appointments more conveniently and avoid delays at the centres.
It further stated that information on the issuance of Ghana Cards for children aged six to 14 years who had already registered will be shared later.
In the coming weeks, the Authority plans to extend this registration service to all NIA District Offices to make it easier for more people to access the service.
By: Jacob Aggrey
