Former Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has strongly denied allegations of extortion totalling GHS280 million, following a press release issued by the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP).

In a statement released through his legal team on Thursday, Dr. Abdul-Hamid refuted all claims, maintaining that he has not been formally charged in any court and has not been served with a charge sheet.

His lawyers described the allegations as baseless and politically damaging, vowing to challenge them vigorously in court to defend his reputation.

The statement accused the OSP of inconsistencies, pointing out that the latest claim represents a shift from earlier accusations.

In February 2025, the OSP announced it was investigating Dr. Abdul-Hamid over the alleged embezzlement of GHS1.3 billion from the Unified Petroleum Pricing Fund (UPPF).

At the time, Dr. Abdul-Hamid demanded a public retraction of what he described as a “defamatory publication,” but no such retraction was issued.

According to his legal representatives, Dr. Abdul-Hamid was later invited and questioned by the OSP on February 25, 2025, regarding alleged procurement breaches and mismanagement of the UPPF.

However, the narrative has since changed, with the OSP now alleging that he extorted GHS280 million from unidentified victims, including a direct receipt of GHS24 million.

Dr. Abdul-Hamid “categorically denies any involvement in such a scheme, whether directly or indirectly,” the statement read. His legal team insisted he never personally benefited from any such activities and dismissed the extortion allegations as false.

The statement further highlighted Dr. Abdul-Hamid’s nearly four-year tenure at the helm of the NPA, describing his leadership as one marked by integrity, competence, and transformational financial growth.

It cited testimonials from key industry stakeholders and pointed to official, audited financial records as proof of his performance.

Under his leadership, the NPA’s four major accounts — the UPPF, Petroleum Product Marking Scheme (PPMS), Price Deregulation Margin (PDM), and the Operational Account — reportedly saw significant growth.

From a combined balance of GHS108.2 million in 2021, the accounts had surged to over GHS1.9 billion by the end of December 2024.

Dr. Abdul-Hamid’s team concluded the statement by reaffirming his readiness to face any legal proceedings, stating confidently that “the truth of his innocence shall prevail.”