Ghana’s anti-corruption drive intensified on Thursday as the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) announced criminal charges against a former head of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, and six others over a $28 million corruption and money laundering scheme.
The charges are part of President John Mahama’s sweeping anti-graft campaign launched earlier in 2025 to clamp down on public sector corruption and recover misappropriated state funds.
In a statement, the OSP said Abdul-Hamid, who led the NPA between 2022 and 2024, faces 25 charges including extortion by a public officer and money laundering. The charges span a period from 2022 through December 2024.
According to the OSP, the former NPA boss allegedly received $2.3 million personally and was a key beneficiary of a wider extortion scheme involving $28 million siphoned from oil marketing companies and transporters.
Abdul-Hamid, however, denied all allegations. “I have never taken a bribe or been part of any illicit scheme during my time at the NPA,” he told AFP. “I am willing to cooperate with the state to clear my name in court.”
Two NPA insiders—Jacob Kwamina Amuah, a former coordinator of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund, and staff member Wendy Newman—were identified as central figures in the alleged scheme. The pair are accused of orchestrating the illegal collection of funds and laundering the proceeds through multiple shell companies.
Three companies—Propnest Ltd., Kel Logistics Ltd., and Kings Energy Ltd.—allegedly served as fronts for laundering the illicit funds. The OSP said these companies were used to purchase properties, acquire trucks for oil distribution, and build fuel stations.
One director of Kel Logistics Ltd. is currently on the run, authorities added.
President Mahama, who returned to office in January 2025, has promised to restore credibility to public institutions and ensure the prosecution of corrupt officials regardless of political affiliation.
While the crackdown has won praise in some quarters, observers have urged the government to ensure fairness and avoid the perception of political witch-hunts.
“Mahama’s credibility depends on how even-handed these prosecutions are. Ghanaians are watching whether this is genuine reform or a political purge in disguise,” said Joshua Jebuntie Zaato, a political analyst at the University of Ghana.
Since the anti-corruption campaign began, multiple individuals have been arrested or charged, and dozens more remain under investigation as the OSP intensifies its efforts to clean up public service.
