The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) says it’s investigating former NPA Chief Executive Officer (CEO) and others over alleged embezzlement of GH¢1.3 billion from the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).
At a press conference on Wednesday, February 12, Special Prosecutor Kissi Agyebeng announced that his office is looking into suspected corruption and corruption-related offences regarding funds misappropriated from the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF), which is a mechanism designed to stabilize petroleum prices across the country.
Agyebeng said the individuals primarily targeted in this investigation include, Jacob Amuah, Coordinator of the UPPF, Freda Acheampong, NPA staff member, Wendy Ashong Newman, NPA staff member, and Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, former Chief Executive Officer of the NPA
The Special Prosecutor said the alleged misappropriation of such a substantial sum has raised significant concerns about financial management within the NPA.
However, reports suggest that the missing funds were allegedly distributed among top former political appointees as a “thank you for work done” gift.
This necessitated the call for a forensic investigation into the UPPF’s operations, with some industry players threatening to petition the OSP and other authorities to probe the alleged corruption.
Mustapha Abdul Hamid was appointed to the NPA in 2021 and served in the role until early 2024. During his tenure, the NPA was responsible for regulating petroleum product pricing, ensuring fuel quality standards, and managing the UPPF.
