Harry Dodoo
{{Short description|Ghanaian accountant and public servant}}
{{Use dmy dates|date=December 2023}}
{{Infobox person
| name = Harry Dodoo
| image =
| alt =
| caption =
| birth_name = Harry Amoo Dodoo
| birth_date = {{birth date|1918|08|08|df=y}}
| birth_place = Accra, Gold Coast
| death_date = {{death date and age|2000|02|10|1918|08|08|df=yes}}
| death_place = Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra, Ghana
| nationality = Ghanaian
| other_names =
| occupation = Public Servant, Chartered Accountant
| spouse =
| education =Accra Academy
| alma_mater = Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales
| known_for = First Gold Coast indigene to be a Chartered Accountant
}}
Harry Amoo Dodoo (8 August 1918 – 10 February 2000) was a Ghanaian chartered accountant, public servant and businessman who led the Ghana Cocoa Board at different times as chief accountant, general manager, managing director, chief executive and chairman. He was the first Gold Coast native to be a chartered accountant and the first Gold Coast indigene to work with Cassleton Elliot and Company (now KPMG).{{cite report |title=History of KPMG in Ghana |url=https://assets.kpmg.com/content/dam/kpmg/gh/pdf/gh-History-of-KPMG.pdf |publisher=KPMG |page=5 |date=March 2018}}
Dodoo was the organizational leader of the Cocoa Marketing Board as general manager from 1955 to 1965,{{cite magazine |title=TOP COCOA BOSS |date= 18 March 1957 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=rkEEAAAAMBAJ&q=harry+dodoo&pg=PA33 |magazine=Life |location=USA |publisher=Time Inc. |page=39 |access-date=16 July 2019}} and as managing director from 1965 to 1967,{{cite web |title=Proceedings, Volume 2 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XvQEAQAAIAAJ&q=h+a+dodoo |publisher=African Studies Association, Los Angeles |date=1968}} and the chief executive on its restructuring as Ghana Cocoa Board from 1983 to 1986.{{cite magazine|magazine=Talking Drums|title=Volume 2 Issues 1-25 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Hy8uAQAAIAAJ&q=dodoo |page=81 |date=1984}} He also served as chairman of the Ghana Cocoa Board from 1981 to 1983 and 1986 to 1988.
Early life and education
Harry Dodoo was born on 8 August 1918 at Accra, Greater Accra Region, Gold Coast.{{Cite book|last=Aryeh|first=Elvis|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=Md9mAAAAcAAJ&q=dodoo+dead&pg=PA17|title=Daily Graphic: Issue 147835, February 16 2000|date=2000-02-16|publisher=Graphic Communications Group|language=en}} He studied at Accra Academy from 1935 to 1938.{{cite news |title=Ghana Year Book |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8C8uAQAAIAAJ&q=dodoo |newspaper=Daily Graphic |page=218 |date=1966}}
Dodoo begun his career at the Accountant General's department, where he worked from 1939 until 1945. In 1945 he became an Articled clerk training in the field of Accountancy at Cassleton Elliot and Company (now KPMG). In 1949, he qualified as a Chartered Accountant and became a member of the Institute of Chartered Accountants in England and Wales. He consequently became the first Gold Coast native to qualify as a Chartered Accountant in the Gold Coast. He worked as a Chartered Accountant with the firm from 1950 until 1952.
Ghana Cocoa Board
In 1952, Dodoo was appointed accountant for the Ghana Cocoa Marketing Board (now Ghana Cocoa Board). In 1953 he was promoted to chief accountant and on 25 May 1955 he became the general manager of the Ghana Cocoa Marketing Board.{{cite book |author=Great Britain. Colonial Office |title=Colonial regulations for His majesty's colonial service...: Public officers |year=1966 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=SGAOAQAAIAAJ&q=dodoo |publisher=H.M. Stationery Office, London | page=139}}{{cite web |title=Gold Coast Gazette |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=7EgvdvtWHmIC&q=h+a+dodoo |publisher=Government Print Office |page=21 |date=1957}}{{cite book |last=Daniel |first=D. K. |date=1975 |title=Interdisciplinary perspectives on colonial and neo-colonial Africa: journal of proceedings |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=hP9AAAAAIAAJ&q=h+a+dodoo |publisher=DeKalb: Northern Illinois University |page=34}}{{cite book |author=United Nations |date=1963 |title=Working papers, volume 11 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3YYhAQAAMAAJ&q=h+a+dodoo |publisher=United Nations, New York | page=103}}
In September 1960, Dodoo was appointed by President Kwame Nkrumah to a Committee to enquire into the Cost of Living which was chaired by S.B. Ofori and included Kwesi Amoako-Atta, J. V. L. Phillips, H. Millar-Craig and E. N. Omaboe.{{cite book|title=Ghana Gazette |author=Ghana |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=2Rf-Z7D2b8UC&q=Cost+of+living|year=1960|page=184}}
Dodoo served in the capacity of general manager of C.M.B. until 1 March 1965 when he was re-titled managing director.{{cite book |last=Beckman |first=Björn |date=1976 |title=Organising the Farmers: Cocoa Politics and National Development in Ghana |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=JOezAAAAIAAJ&q=h+a+dodoo |page=277|publisher=Scandinavian Institute of African Studies |isbn=9789171061010 }}{{cite web |title=Standard Bank Review |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=k4BjhjuyfIYC&q=h+a+dodoo |publisher=Standard Bank of South Africa Limited, London |page=14 |date=1966}}{{cite book |author=Ghana. Commission to Enquire into the Kwame Nkrumah Properties |author2=National Liberation Council (Ghana) |author3=Ghana. Ministry of Information and Broadcasting |date=1967 |title=Report of the Commission, appointed under the Commissions of Enquiry Act, 1964 (Act 250) to Enquire into the Kwame Nkrumah Properties. |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=moY0AQAAIAAJ&q=harry+dodoo |publisher=Ministry of Information on Belhalf of the National Liberation Council |page=48}} In July 1966, he became acting chairman of the board of directors of the Cocoa Marketing Board, whilst still as managing director, when Nana Sir Tsibu Darku left the role.{{cite magazine|title= Mr. Dodoo Resigns|magazine=West Africa |issue=2589–2612 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=RCoOAQAAMAAJ&q=+Harry+Dodoo+|publisher=Afrimedia International|year=1967|page=315}} On 29 July 1966, William Ofori-Atta replaced Dodoo to become substantive chairman with an appointment by the National Liberation Council.{{cite magazine|title=Board Gets New Chairman|author=Ghana Cocoa Marketing Board |magazine=State C.M.B. Newsletter|issue=28–33 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=f2G6hmKUiusC&q=Harry+Dodoo+and+William+Ofori-Atta|year=1965|page=17}}{{cite journal|title=Cocoa Board Members|author= United States. Central Intelligence Agency| url=https://books.google.com/books?id=YKVxO9kLBuIC&dq=Harry+Dodoo+and+William+Ofori-Atta&pg=RA3-PP17|journal=Daily Report, Foreign Radio Broadcasts|issue=146–150|date= 29 July 1966|page=14}} Dodoo served as managing director of the Ghana Cocoa Marketing Board until 22 February 1967 when he resigned.{{cite book |author=Ghana Cocoa Board |date=2000 |title=Ghana Cocoa Board Handbook |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=aRjxAAAAMAAJ&q=dodoo |publisher=The Board | page=58}}
In October 1981, President Hilla Limann appointed Dodoo as chairman of the governing board of the Cocoa Marketing Board.{{cite web|title= Ghana News |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=XAwbx_PKGxsC&dq=Limann+and+Dodoo+and+Cocoa&pg=RA18-PA9|year= 1981|publisher=Ghana Embassy|volume=10|page=9}} In 1983, Dodoo was appointed acting chief executive of Ghana Cocoa Board (COCOBOD) by Chairman Jerry Rawlings, serving until 1986.{{cite news |title=Ghana News, Volumes 13-14 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=VUUuAQAAIAAJ&q=harry+dodoo |publisher=Washington, D.C. : Embassy of Ghana |page=14 |date=1984}}{{cite web |title=Sub-Saharan Africa Report, Issues 1, Issue 7 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=PJgEAQAAIAAJ&q=harry+dodoo |publisher=Foreign Broadcast Information Service |page=21 |date=1985}}{{cite web |title=West Africa, Issues 3583-3599 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=zRVzAAAAMAAJ&q=harry+dodoo |publisher=West Africa Publishing Company Limited |page=1280 |date=1986}} On 25 September 1986, he was appointed as chairman of the board of directors of Ghana Cocoa Board. He resigned from the board of directors on 26 April 1988.{{cite web|title= Annual Report and Account for the period Ended 30th September |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=uTXoWUou0xEC&q=cocobod+and+harry+dodoo |author= Ghana Cocoa Board|publisher=The Board|date=1988|page=4}}{{cite web| title=Daily Graphic: Issue 148526, May 18 2002; Democratic relevance of a culture of resignation by R.B.W. Hesse |date = 18 May 2002|url=https://books.google.com/books?id=3NxmAAAAcAAJ&q=cocobod+and+harry+dodoo&pg=PA7 |publisher= Daily Graphic |access-date=26 September 2020|page=7}}
==Directorships==
Dodoo served as a member of the board of governors of Accra Academy.
Dodoo was vice president of the Association of Accountants of the Gold Coast (which was later renamed; the Association of Accountants in Ghana),{{cite journal |journal=The Accountant|title= Volume 136 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=5toWAQAAMAAJ&q=dodoo |publisher=Lafferty Publications, Limited |date=1957 |page=543}} he also served on the first council of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ghana inaugurated in 1963.{{cite news |last= Addo-Twum |first=J. K. |date=1978-04-07 |title=THE INSTITUTE OF CHARTERED ACCOUNTANTS (GHANA), PUBLIC LECTURE |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=E7ComwrusBYC&q=h+a+dodoo&pg=PA13 |work=Daily Graphic |access-date=2019-07-16}} He served as president of the Institute of Chartered Accountants of Ghana from 1974 to 1976.{{cite web |url=https://www.icagh.com/file/presentations/The%20Institute.New-KayAsante.pdf |title=ICAG |access-date=2019-07-14}}
In 1969, Dodoo ventured into private business by establishing Dodoo, Lobban & Co. (now Lobban-Hyde) an audit and accountancy firm in Ghana with William Drummond Lobban as partner. Dodoo retired from the firm in 1979.{{cite web|title= About Lobban Hyde |url=http://www.lobbanhyde.com/about.html|website=Lobban hyde.com|access-date=4 August 2022}}{{cite book|title=Commercial and Industrial Bulletin, Issues 64-80 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=8WZNbiM5C4wC&q=dodoo+lobban|author=Ghana|publisher=Government Printer |year=1973|page=1491}}
His other directorships included Fan Milk, Blackwood Hodge (Ghana), Hansa Manufacturing Company Limited, Ghana Consolidated Diamonds and Ghana Aluminium Products.{{cite book|title= Commercial and Industrial Bulletin, Volumes 64-80|author =Ghana|publisher=Government Printer| url= https://books.google.com/books?id=8WZNbiM5C4wC&q=+blackwood|year=1973|page=1398}} In the early 1960s he served on the board of the Ghana Main Reef Limited.{{cite journal|journal=Mining Journal |title=Volume 256 |url=https://books.google.com/books?id=GGIcAQAAMAAJ&q=h+a+dodoo |publisher=Fisher, Knight & Co., Ltd., London |date=1961 |page=523}}
He was also a member of the Council of State in the Third Republic.{{fact|date=December 2023}}
Personal life and death
Dodoo enjoyed music and dancing. He died on 10 February 2000 at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital, Accra.