Who is Dr Stephen Kwabena Opuni?

Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni studied Medicine in the Vitebsk State Medical Institute in the former USSR and graduated as Doctor of Medicine in June, 1991.

He worked at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital in Kumasi from June, 1992 until June, 1999.

He later joined the Department of Trauma and Reconstructive Surgery at the University of Ulm Medical Faculty in Germany in June 1999 where he specialized as a Trauma and Reconstructive Surgeon.

Dr Opuni returned to Ghana in July, 2003 and worked at the Komfe Anokye Teaching Hospital in the Department of Surgery as a consultant.

He was appointed as Head of Accident and Emergency Directorate of the hospital in 2007.

He also served on the Council of Convention of the United States Pharmacopeia from 2012 to the end of 2013.

Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni was appointed Chief Executive Officer of Ghana COCOBOD on 30th November, 2013 after serving as the Chief Executive of the Ghana Food and Drugs Authority from April 2009 until the end of November, 2013.

He replaced Anthony Fofie, who headed COCOBOD from 2009.

He was also Chairman of the Board of Directors of Cocoa Marketing Company Ghana Limited (CMC), Cocoa Marketing Company UK Limited (CMC-UK) as well as the Quality Control Company Limited (QCC) of Ghana Cocoa Board.

He is a Fellow of the Ghana College of Surgeons.

Achievement as Chief Executive of Ghana COCOBOD

As Chief Executive of Ghana Cocoa Board, he had through the support of the Government of Ghana initiated several interventions aimed at enhancing sustainable cocoa production.

Some of these interventions include the aggressive cocoa rehabilitation programme and the youth in cocoa programme which has so far motivated over 30,000 young men and women into cocoa farming.

Controversies

Mr. Opuni’s tenure at COCOBOD was engrossed in several allegations of corruption and mismanagement of the cocoa sector, with his critics accusing him of running down the critical sector; which generates revenue for the country and employs millions of Ghanaians.

In April 2016, the General Agriculture Workers Union (GAWU), and the Industrial Commercial Workers Unions (ICU), launched a scathing attack on the leadership of COCOBOD, accusing its Chief Executive Officer, Dr. Stephen Opuni of presiding over corruption.

GAWU and ICU said corruption at COCOBOD, headed by Dr. Stephen Opuni was affecting the production of cocoa in the country.

But some staff of COCOBOD at the time jumped his defence, insisting that, Dr. Opuni has not caused any disaffection within the ranks of COCOBOD as ICU and GAWU were alleging.

The Staff of the company thus served notice of withdrawing from the two unions, citing a growing mistrust between workers of COCOBOD and the unions.

Dr. Opuni was removed from office when President Nana Addo Akufo-Addo took office in 2017.

His bank accounts were frozen following investigations into some contracts he signed during his tenure.

The Economic and Organised Crimes Office (EOCO) has been investigating him since he left office.