Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, also known as NAPO, says his decision to leave medicine for politics was rooted in a desire to serve more people and make a bigger impact.
Speaking in an interview on JoyNews, the former Education Minister opened up about how his background as a medical doctor shaped his understanding of public service, but also showed him its limits.
“As a doctor, you help people one at a time, and sometimes, in very critical moments,” he said.
“If someone is in pain from a strangulated hernia or a burst appendix, and you’re able to fix it, it brings immediate relief. That kind of healing is powerful. It brings joy to both the patient and the doctor.”
But over time, he realized that while medicine changes individual lives, politics can shape entire communities.
“It’s fulfilling, but it’s also limited,” he added. “In politics, you can make decisions that improve lives on a larger scale, policies that can affect generations.”
For NAPO, the shift to public office wasn’t a break from service, but an extension of it.
“This is about public service,” he said. “It’s always been part of me.
Politics just offered a bigger platform to put that into action.”
