Who is Stephen Kwabena Opuni?: The truth about the former CEO of Ghana Cocoa Board.
Stephen Opuni is a well-known figure in Ghana. Many know him for his professional background and involvement in the public service. Stephen is a health practitioner and has served in the FDA Ghana and COCOBOD. But aside from his profession, what else do you know about Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni?
Source: UGC
TABLE OF CONTENTS
Stephen Kwabena Opuni's tenure at the Ghana Cocoa Board has been fraught with corruption and allegations of financial mismanagement. The allegations have resulted in legal proceedings and a contentious trial against him. These legal proceedings have generated interest in him, and many are curious about his life story.
Profile summary
| Full name | Stephen Kwabena Opuni |
| Gender | Male |
| Date of birth | 8 August 1966 |
| Age | 57 years old (as of May 2024) |
| Place of birth | Sunyani, Bono Region (Brong Ahafo Region), Ghana |
| Nationality | Ghanaian |
| Ethnicity | Black |
| Religion | Christianity |
| Sexuality | Straight |
| Hair colour | Black |
| Eye colour | Dark brown |
| Mother | Dora Yaa Owusuaa Opuni |
| Father | Nicholas Hayford Kwabena Opuni |
| University | Vitebsk State Medical Institute |
| Profession | Doctor |
Stephen Opuni's biography
Stephen Kwabena Opuni was born on 8 August 1966 in Sunyani, Bono Region (formerly Brong Ahafo Region), Ghana, to Dora Yaa Owusuaa Opuni and Nicholas Hayford Kwabena Opuni. His mother came from Dormaa Babianeha, Brong Ahafo Region, Ghana.
Stephen's father was the Brong Ahafo Regional Secretary of Kwame Nkrumah's Convention People's Party (CPP) in 1966.
Stephen attended college at the Vitebsk State Medical Institute in the former USSR and graduated as a doctor of medicine in June 1991.
Stephen Opuni's career
Source: Original
Stephen Kwabena Opuni has had a significant career in the medical and administrative fields. Here is a detailed breakdown of his career history:
Medical practitioner
After completing his studies, Dr. Stephen Opuni returned to Ghana and pursued a medical career. In June 1992, he began working at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi, Ghana.
Stephen worked at the facility for seven years until June 1999, when he joined the Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Ulm Medical Faculty in Germany. Here, he specialised in trauma and reconstructive surgery.
In July 2003, Dr Kwabena returned to Ghana and rejoined Ashanti Region's Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital as a consultant at the Department of Surgery. In 2007, he was appointed Head of the Accident and Emergency Directorate at the same hospital.
Food and Druġs Authority (FDA) appointment
In April 2009, Dr Opuni was appointed to head the FDA Ghana. He held the position until November 2013. During his tenure at the FDA, Stephen Kwabena also served on the Convention of the United States Pharmacopoeia Council from 2012 until the end of 2013.
Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD)
On 30 November 2013, President John Dramani Mahama's government appointed Dr Stephen Kwabena as the CEO of the Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD). He replaced Anthony Fofie as the board's CEO. Stephen's tenure also saw him serve other positions. They include:
- Chairman of the board of directors of Cocoa Marketing Company Ghana Limited (CMC)
- Chairman of Cocoa Marketing Company UK Limited (CMC-UK)
- Board member of the Quality Control Company Limited (QCC) of Ghana Cocoa Board
Stephen's tenure as the chief executive officer of the Ghana Cocoa Board ended on 13 January 2017. During his tenure, he faced allegations of corruption from various stakeholders.
Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni's corruption allegations
Dr Stephen Kwabena has faced several allegations of corruption during his tenure as the CEO of the Ghana Cocoa Board and the FDA Ghana. Here is a detailed summary of the allegations:
Allegations at the FDA
According to Modern Ghana, in 2013, Tobinco Pharmaceuticals accused Dr Kwabena's office of witch-hunting. They claimed that the CEO had seized and destroyed their goods in the name of public safety. President John Mahama's intervention solved the conflict.
Allegations at the COCOBOD
As the CEO of the Ghana Cocoa Board, Dr Stephen Opuni faced several allegations of corruption and mismanagement of the cocoa sector. According to Ghana Web, in April 2016, the General Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU) and the Industrial Commercial Workers Union (ICU) accused the former CEO of corruption and mismanagement.
The investigation of Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni
In 2017, Dr. Opuni was removed from office by new President Nana Akufo-Addo. In February of the same year, the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO) seized Dr Opuni's assets and froze his bank accounts pending investigations.
The initial investigation went on for most of the year 2017. Chief State Attorney Evelyn D. Keelson handled his first case.
Dr. Opuni's court charges
In March 2018, the Attorney-General charged Dr. Opuni, businessman Seidu Agongo, and his Agricult Ghana Ltd with 27 counts related to the state's financial loss of more than GH¢271 million.
The charges include money laundering, corruption by a public officer, violation of procurement laws, and defrauding by false pretences. According to Pulse, part of the lawsuit against Dr Opuni read,
Mr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni between November 2014 and November 2015 in Accra in the Greater Accra Region, abetted Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ghana Ltd to defraud COCOBOD of the sum of Gh₵75,289,314.72.
It continues,
Stephen Kwabena Opuni on 10 October 2014 in Accra, agreed to permit your conduct as the Chief Executive Officer of COCOBOD to be influenced with an amount of Twenty Five Thousand Ghana Cedis (Ghc25,000) from Seidu Agongo.
Dr. Opuni's trial
Dr. Opuni's trial started in 2018. However, it had numerous irregularities, including stoppages and a change in presiding judges. In 2023, a new judge, Justice Kwasi Anokye Gyimah, aimed to restart the trial afresh, but Ghana's Court of Appeal overturned the decision.
The court ordered the High Court to proceed with the trial based on existing proceedings and evidence. As of May 2024, the trial is ongoing, and the two accused, Seidu Agongo and Agricult Ltd, had their charges reduced to 24. The pair were acquitted of the money laundering charges.
All three defendants have pleaded not guilty to the charges levelled and are each currently on a GH¢300,000 self-recognisance bail. In addition, Dr. Opuni reportedly decided not to testify and closed his case on Monday, 12 February 2024.
FAQs
- Who is Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni? He is a Ghanaian health practitioner and former CEO of the FDA Ghana and the Ghana Cocoa Board.
- Where was Dr. Stephen Kwabena born? He was born in Sunyani in Bono Region, Ghana.
- What are Dr. Opuni's certificates? He holds a medical degree from the Vitebsk State Medical Institute in the former USSR.
- Who is the former manager of COCOBOD? Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni was the former CEO of COCOBOD and served from 2013 to 2017. Joseph Boahen Aidoo succeeded him.
- What positions has Dr. Opuni held? He was the head of the FDA Ghana from 2009 to 2013 and CEO of Ghana COCOBOD from late 2013 to 2017.
- What are the allegations against Dr. Opuni? The state alleges that he was involved in corruption and mismanagement of funds during his tenure as the head of COCOBOD.
- What is the status of Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni's trial? As of May 2024, the trial is ongoing based on existing proceedings and evidence as directed by the Ghana Court of Appeal in July 2023.
Stephen Kwabena Opuni is famous as the former chief executive officer of Ghana COCOBOD. He is a medical practitioner who has previously served as the head of Ghana's FDA.
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