The new board chairman of Ghana Cocoa Board (Cocobod), Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman, goofed when he disclosed to the public that former CEO of Cocobod, Dr Stephen Opuni was on a gross salary of GHS75,000.
Mr Owusu-Agyeman described the amount as “unthinkable” adding that even after a “dramatic” slash, it will still be more than what is paid the highest Article 71 office holder.
He said he would wish the amount is cut by half.
Mr Owusu-Agyeman has received some flak for his disclosure. Equally, critics have expressed amazement about the quantum of money given the former CEO as salary.
Speaking on Multi TV’s Newsfile programme on Saturday, 1 April, Mr Baako said Mr Owusu-Agyeman erred with his disclosure.
“That disclosure, what was the purpose of it? If it’s a serious issue, let’s interrogate it and look at it broadly. Look, let me be honest with you, Mr Hackman Owusu-Agyeman is one of those I have huge respect for; I have to be honest, he’s a gentleman’s gentleman and I have dealt with him over the years and I think he has impeccable integrity but this gaffe, I’m unable to sustain it.
“Board Chairman, you’ve taken over a place, you think, perhaps, salary levels are outrageous and we all know it’s not peculiar to that particular [office], you want to do something about it, you go and do it properly. That disclosure for me was like playing on the keyboard of people’s emotions and reason doesn’t come in when we are discussing such things, only emotions,” Mr Baako added.