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The opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) in the Brong Ahafo Region has jumped to the rescue of former Chief Executive of COCOBOD, Dr. Stephen Kwabena Opuni, kicking against his vilification both in and outside the NDC.

Dr Opuni's monthly salary of GHS 75,000 gross has been in the media circles in recent times which has stirred a public debate with many Ghanaians questioning the rational in paying such huge amounts at the expense of cocoa farmers who are largely impoverished, coupled with the fact that the cocoa sector hasn’t seen significant growth over the Years.

But speaking at a press conference in Sunyani Thursday, 30th March 2017, the NDC regional chairperson, Kwadwo Opoku Atuahene bemoaned the ridicule meted out to Dr Opuni, whom he described as an illustrious son of the region, who has been supporting their party financially since the New Patriotic Party took over from former president Jerry John Rawlings in 2000.

"Dr Opuni is known for his incomparable and selfless track record of our party, NDC and Ghana at large . . . His immense contribution in respect of the launch of our party manifesto that culminated in bringing the NDC to power in 2009 as he campaigned vigourosly at the peril of losing his job as a young medical officer at the Komfo Anokye Teaching Hospital."

To the ruling New Patriotic party (NPP), the chairman revealed that they (NPP) know what the former COCOBOD boss is capable of doing whenever the NDC is in opposition hence their "sowing of the seed of confusion amongst us and doing everything to make him look bad . . . to frustrate and prevent us from capturing power in 2020."

Appealing to their party members and executives not to follow the NPP in vilifying their party front liners, Mr Atuahene said they should not speak against appointees of the Mahama- led government, but rather channel all their grievances to the Kwesi Botchwey committee that is dealing with the pre- elections problems in the party if they really want the party back to power in 2020.

Also commenting on the recent happenings in the Ashanti region over the NPP's security forces, Delta Force, that nearly lynched the Ashanti Regional Security coordinator whom they described as someone who was not instrumental in their 2016 campaign to capture power in the region, Mr Atuahene charged President Akufo-Addo to call them to order and disband those groups before they turn into monsters and harm the NPP.

He further noted that if the president failed to do that, investors may be scared to come to the country over that security lapses.