The New Patriotic Party (NPP) has refuted allegations Vice Presidential Candidate Dr Matthew Opoku Prempeh, alias Napo, promised if the NPP won the December 7 presidential election, excavators seized by government because they were used illegally to mine would be returned to their respective owners to return to their nefarious work.

In a statement dated September 11, 2024, and signed by Napo's spokesperson, Fiifi Boafo, the NPP noted "sections of the media" had distorted and misreported the energy minister's words.

"At a community engagement at Bogoso in the Prestea Huni Valley Constituency on Sunday, 8th September, 2024, Dr. Prempeh stated that Dr. Bawumia's administration will facilitate small-scale mining under strict regulations that ensure that the environment is not compromised," the statement clarified.

"We have, however, observed that some media outlets are alleging that he said, 'We will give everyone his excavator to work in his concession to make money to support the economic growth of their communities'," Boafo bemoaned.

He stressed: "This statement attributed to him [Napo] is false."

"The 20-minute full video footage of his submission did not contain what has been attributed to him. A doctored TikTok video in circulation claiming to be the source of the reportage does not reflect the statement made by the Vice-Presidential Candidate," the statement continued.

"We wish to emphasize that Dr. Prempeh was talking about granting access to people interested in small scale mining and who could only do that in a responsible and sustainable manner in accordance with the laws of Ghana."

"We urge the public to disregard the reportage," the statement urged in conclusion.

Napo runs alongside Dr Alhaji Mahamudu Bawumia, Vice President and flagbearer of the NPP, on December 7 as they contend with multiple political parties and independent candidates in the presidential race, chief among them being former President John Dramani Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC).