Mustapha Hamid finally opens up on GHS280m extortion allegations

Former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has vehemently denied allegations of corruption and extortion leveled against him by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP), describing them as “baseless, inconsistent, and defamatory.”

In a press statement issued by his legal counsel, Hanifa Yahaya, Dr. Abdul-Hamid rejected all claims contained in a recent OSP press release which alleged that he and nine others unlawfully collected GHS280 million from oil marketing companies and petroleum transporters.

According to the OSP, Dr. Abdul-Hamid is accused of initiating an extortion scheme between 2022 and December 2024 that resulted in the collection of GHS280,516,127.19. Of this amount, GHS24 million was allegedly paid directly to him, with the rest funneled through intermediaries and laundered via three companies.

However, Dr. Abdul-Hamid’s legal team maintains that, as of July 17, 2025, he had not been served with formal charges nor arraigned before any competent court.

The statement further criticized the OSP’s shifting narrative, noting that in February 2025, the office accused Dr. Abdul-Hamid of embezzling GHS1.3 billion from the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF). That figure has since been revised to GHS280 million, with the nature of the allegations shifting from embezzlement and procurement breaches to extortion and money laundering.

“Our client denies initiating or being involved in any extortion scheme, either directly or indirectly, and further denies receiving any personal benefit from such alleged conduct,” the statement said.

The legal team also cited significant financial growth at the NPA under Dr. Abdul-Hamid’s leadership as evidence of his competence and integrity. For instance, the UPPF reportedly grew from GHS53 million in 2021 to over GHS1.1 billion by the end of 2024.

Dr. Abdul-Hamid has indicated his readiness to contest any future charges in court, confident that the facts will vindicate him.

“This is a man who served with utmost integrity and competence,” his counsel said. “He is fully prepared to contest any charges leveled against him.”