OSP Uncovers GH₵280 Million Corruption Scheme in Petroleum Sector
Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has charged seven individuals and three companies in connection with a sprawling corruption and money laundering scheme that siphoned over GH₵280 million from the petroleum sector.
Damian Owusu 
Ghana’s Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has charged seven individuals and three companies in connection with a sprawling corruption and money laundering scheme that siphoned over GH₵280 million from the petroleum sector. At the center of the scandal is Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, former Chief Executive Officer of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), who allegedly received GH₵24 million in illicit payments.
The individuals charged include:
Mustapha Abdul-Hamid – Former NPA CEO
Jacob Kwamina Amuah – Coordinator of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF); Managing Director of Propnest, Kel Logistics, and Kings Energy
Wendy Newman – NPA staff member
Albert Ankrah, Isaac Mensah, Bright Bediako-Mensah, and Kwaku Aboagye Acquaah – Directors of Kel Logistics and Kings Energy
The implicated companies are: Propnest Limited, Kel Logistics Limited and Kings Energy Limited. One individual, Osei Tutu Adjei, remains at large. According to the OSP, the corruption ring operated between 2022 and December 2024, extorting funds from petroleum transporters and oil marketing companies under the guise of official duties. Key findings include:
GH₵24 million handed directly to Abdul-Hamid by Amuah
GH₵227.2 million funneled through Newman for further disbursement
Funds laundered through the three companies to purchase properties, trucks, and fuel stations
The scheme was designed to obscure the criminal origin of the funds and embed them into legitimate business operations.
The OSP has filed 25 counts, including:
Extortion by a public officer
Conspiracy to commit money laundering
Money laundering under Ghanaian law
The accused are expected to appear before the High Court in Accra to enter their pleas.
In a firm declaration, the OSP stated: “The OSP reaffirms its commitment to investigating and prosecuting corruption and corruption-related offences without fear or favour, and urges all public institutions to remain vigilant and report suspected cases of corruption.”
This case marks one of the most significant corruption revelations in Ghana’s petroleum sector, raising urgent questions about:
Oversight of the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF)
Internal controls within the NPA
Broader vulnerabilities in Ghana’s anti-corruption architecture
