General News of Saturday, 25 February 2017

Source: classfmonline.com

Opuni assets freeze no big deal – Kweku Baako

Dr Stephen Opuni, Former CEO of Ghana Cocoa Board Dr Stephen Opuni, Former CEO of Ghana Cocoa Board

Government freezing the assets of the former Chief Executive Officer of Cocobod, Dr Stephen Opuni, is not a big deal and not unprecedented in the country’s political history, Abdul-Malik Kweku Baako, Editor-in-Chief of the Crusading Guide, has said.

“Has Mr Opuni complained? So what’s the big deal? Has section 33 of Act 204 been violated? So what’s the big deal? Let’s wait for the outcome of the investigations [because] this is not new. It’s happened many times. I can give you names across the political divide [from] 2001, 2009, and today. Unless somebody brings something of evidential value that points to political persecution and not due process, it is no big deal. Let’s wait and see what happens,” Mr Baako said on Newsfile on Multi TV on Saturday 25 February.

Dr Opuni is being investigated in connection with some financial irregularities uncovered by the new Nana Akufo-Addo led government.

Mr Akufo-Addo recently fired Dr Opuni in January. Officialdom met him on several occasions over investigations into his tenure of office.

A letter signed by the president's Executive Secretary gave Dr Opuni up to the end of Friday, 13 January, to leave office.

According to the letter dated Thursday January 12, Dr Opuni “ceases to hold office as CEO of Cocobod upon assumption of office of President Nana Akufo-Addo”.

His assets have been frozen by the Economic and Organised Crime Office (EOCO).