Plot Against FDB Boss Fails

A malicious attempt by some unscrupulous persons to tarnish the image of Dr. Stephen Opuni, Executive Director of the Food and Drugs Board (FDB), has been exposed as evidence available to The Daily Democrat clearly shows no act of wrongdoing on the part of the hardworking man.

In its Friday, January 15 edition, the New Crusading Guide carried an allegation by a group calling itself Progressive Nationalist Forum (PNF) against Dr Opuni, claiming the new Director of the FDB caused to be bought a Landcruiser without recourse to the Board’s management.

The group further alleged that the FDB boss caused to be increased the rental payment of the Head Office building of the board from $7,000 to $12,000 surreptitiously.

They further accused him of closing the shops of some Ghanaians and banning products from entering Ghana.

However, documentary evidence available to The Daily Democrat shows that all the allegations are false and carefully calculated to serve the interest of people who were benefitting from dubious deals in the system.

Contrary to the allegation that he caused the increase in rent al charges of the Head Office accommodation, Mr. Emmanuel Kwarteng, nephew of Mr. Justin Oppong Peprah, the landlord, pointed out that Dr. Opuni did not at any time negotiate the cost of accommodation with the landlord.

Mr. Kwarteng, who has been acting on behalf of his uncle in negotiations, said he started the negotiations way back in 2007 with the Deputy CEO, Food, the Head of Administration, Head of Finance and Deputy CEO, Drugs at a time Dr. Opuni was not appointed Head of the Board. He therefore described the allegations as “absurd and false.”

He stated that rent advance was one year, and not two years as PNF is claiming. The Daily Democrat has intercepted a letter from the Ministry of Health dated January 4, 2010, written by one Dr. Sylvester Anemana, Ag. Chief Director of the Ministry, allocating a Toyota Landcruiser Station Wagon with Registration number GN 3519-09 to Dr. Opuni for use.

This clearly rubbishes the allegation that he caused to be bought a Landcruiser without recourse to the Board’s management.

Further probes by this paper revealed that prudent measures put in place by Dr. Opuni is not going down well with some members of the Board who are losing their dubious income.

Our investigations have uncovered a syndicate in the Board that connives with some importers to bring in unwholesome foods and drugs into the country, from which members of the syndicate benefit.

It would be recalled that Dr. Opuni recently caused the confiscation of some unwholesome rice being imported into the country by some importers. This was opposed by some beneficiaries of the deal. Stay tuned for more.