Former National Petroleum Authority (NPA) CEO, Dr. Mustapha Abdul Hamid, has filed a GH¢20 million defamation lawsuit against the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) over claims linking him to the alleged embezzlement of GH¢1.3 billion from the Unified Petroleum Price Fund (UPPF).
The writ, filed at the High Court (General Jurisdiction Division) in Accra on November 10, 2025, seeks a declaration that the OSP’s statement made during a media briefing on February 12, 2025, was defamatory and caused significant harm to Dr. Hamid’s reputation.
Through his lawyers at Applade Chambers, Dr. Hamid is demanding:
GH¢20 million in damages
An unqualified apology
Retraction of the OSP statement
A perpetual injunction barring the OSP and its agents from making further defamatory remarks
The statement of claim highlights that the OSP, during its February briefing, announced investigations into alleged corruption involving GH¢1.3 billion from the UPPF, naming Dr. Hamid as one of four individuals under probe. Dr. Hamid contends he was never notified of any investigation prior to the briefing and had no involvement in any mismanagement.
He described the OSP’s claims as false, malicious, and unjustified, noting that no embezzlement occurred according to subsequent developments.
Dr. Hamid also stated that the public allegations caused embarrassment, emotional distress, and loss of professional opportunities, including consultancy and lecturing roles abroad, seriously tarnishing his reputation as an academic, politician, and respected public figure.
His lawyers confirmed that they wrote to the OSP on February 17, 2025, demanding a retraction. Instead of apologizing, the OSP reportedly responded on February 19, 2025, instructing Dr. Hamid to appear for questioning over the alleged mismanagement.
