Former Energy Minister and 2024 New Patriotic Party (NPP) running mate, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, has initiated a major defamati
Former Energy Minister and 2024 New Patriotic Party (NPP) running mate, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, popularly known as NAPO, has initiated a major defamation suit against broadcaster Salifu Maase and media firm TV XYZ over allegations that he masterminded deliberate power outages in parts of the Ashanti Region for political purposes.
The suit, filed at the General Jurisdiction Division of the High Court in Accra, follows comments allegedly aired on TV XYZ and Power 97.9 FM during a political programme hosted by Salifu Maase, also known as Mugabe Maase, on May 4, 2026.
In the writ, Dr. Opoku Prempeh is seeking GH¢20 million in damages jointly and severally against the defendants, in addition to retractions, apologies, injunctions and legal costs.
The former Manhyia South Member of Parliament announced the legal action after a viral social media video accused him and some NPP Members of Parliament from the Ashanti Region of bribing Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) district engineers to intentionally switch off electricity in selected areas.
In a public statement issued on Thursday, Dr. Opoku Prempeh described the allegations as “entirely false, malicious, and without any basis in fact.”
He argued that beyond damaging his personal reputation, the claims dangerously exposed ECG engineers and officials to possible public attacks at a time when citizens were already frustrated over worsening electricity challenges, commonly referred to as “dumsor.”
According to him, the allegations sought to create the impression that political actors within the opposition NPP were deliberately orchestrating power outages to undermine the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration and fuel public discontent.
“At a time when Ghanaians are confronted with serious challenges in the power sector, the focus of government and its communicators should be on providing lasting solutions to the crisis and not manufacturing falsehoods, spreading smear narratives, and politicising matters that directly affect the lives of our people,” he stated.
Court documents accompanying the suit provide extensive details about the former Energy Minister’s professional and political background.
The statement of claim notes that Dr. Opoku Prempeh served as Member of Parliament for Manhyia and later Manhyia South between 2009 and January 2025. It also recounts his tenure as Minister for Education from 2017 to 2021, during which he spearheaded the implementation of the Free Senior High School policy, before later serving as Energy Minister from 2021 to 2024.
The suit further highlights his medical background, membership of the Royal College of Physicians and Surgeons of Glasgow, and academic affiliation with the Harvard Kennedy School, where he reportedly studied Leadership and Government and later participated in ministerial programmes.
His lawyers argue that he has built an “esteemed reputation” over years of public service and had received several recognitions, including being ranked among the best-performing ministers in a 2019 assessment conducted by the Political Science Department of the University of Ghana.
According to the statement of claim, the defamatory comments were broadcast during an edition of the “Inside Politics” programme on TV XYZ and Power 97.9 FM.
During the programme, an anonymous caller allegedly claimed that NAPO, together with some Ashanti Regional NPP MPs and party executives, met ECG district engineers at Abuakwa Agogo and distributed money to them to deliberately disrupt electricity supply in some communities.
The caller allegedly named several districts including Tepa, Offinso, Ejisu, Asokwa, Effiduase, Bekwai, Obuasi and Manso, claiming the engineers were each handed “1.5 billion” and instructed to switch off power in areas such as Asuofua on specific days.
Dr. Opoku Prempeh’s legal team contends that the allegations portrayed him as corrupt, unpatriotic, lawless and willing to sabotage national interests for partisan advantage.
The suit also accuses Salifu Maase of failing to verify or disclaim the allegations before allowing them to be aired and amplified on the station’s platforms.
The former Energy Minister further argues that the allegations gained widespread circulation on social media platforms including Facebook, TikTok and YouTube, thereby causing serious damage to his public image and reputation.
The writ seeks several reliefs from the court, including a declaration that the statements were defamatory, an order compelling the defendants to issue an unqualified apology and retraction with equal prominence, and perpetual injunctions restraining both the broadcaster and the station from publishing similar allegations in future.
The lawsuit emerges against the backdrop of renewed national debate over intermittent power outages in Ghana, an issue that has become politically contentious in recent months.
Since returning to office in January 2025, the NDC government has faced increasing criticism from the opposition NPP and sections of the public over recurring electricity instability and concerns about the country’s energy sector management.
The allegations against Dr. Opoku Prempeh surfaced amid heightened political tension over the power crisis, with both major political parties trading blame over the resurgence of dumsor and the state of the energy infrastructure.
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