The High Court’s decision to grant bail to former NPA Chief Executive Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid and nine co-accused has reignited concerns about systemic weaknesses in the petroleum regulatory sector, following the filing of a detailed 54-count charge sheet that paints a troubling picture of alleged misconduct.
The charges—including Extortion, Using public office for profit, Money laundering, and related conspiracies—have raised questions about institutional oversight during the period the OSP says the alleged scheme took place.
According to prosecutors, the alleged extortion network involved direct solicitation of payments from oil marketing companies and bulk distributors and generated more than GH¢291 million in cedis and over US$332,000 in foreign currency. Investigators claim the payments were funneled through companies linked to some of the accused to acquire fuel stations, lands, properties, and trucks—transactions the OSP argues may have been used to conceal the funds’ origins.
Although all accused persons entered not-guilty pleas, the scale of the alleged financial flows has drawn public criticism, with anti-corruption analysts urging a deeper probe into how such activity could occur within a major regulator.
Critics say the accusations, if proven, would expose serious structural vulnerabilities in the NPA’s monitoring and internal controls. They also argue that the petroleum industry—already strained by pricing volatility and consumer distrust—cannot afford unresolved questions surrounding regulatory integrity.
The case, which has been scheduled for key disclosures by January 12, 2026, is expected to become one of the most closely watched corruption trials in the coming year.
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