Players in Ghana’s Energy sector are pushing the Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) to extend its investigation into the management of petroleum funds to include past Chief Executive Officers (CEOs) of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA).
This demand follows the OSP’s probe into the alleged embezzlement of GHS 1.3 billion from the Unified Petroleum Price Fund (UPPF) under the tenure of the immediate NPA CEO, Dr Mustapha Hamid.
The fund, designed to stabilise fuel prices and ensure the nationwide distribution of petroleum products, plays a critical role in Ghana’s energy sector.
However, allegations of misappropriation have cast doubt on its administration.
Kojo Yaotse, Policy Lead for Conventional Energy at the African Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), has urged a broader inquiry, arguing that a full audit is necessary to ensure accountability beyond a single administration.
“We believe this investigation should be expanded. It should not be limited to the current period but should extend beyond the tenure of the immediate past CEO and managers. We need a full and thorough investigation,” Yaotse said, adding that ACEP is considering submitting additional matters to the OSP for review.
Benjamin Nsiah, Executive Director of the Centre for Environmental Management and Sustainable Energy (CEMSE), echoed similar sentiments, suggesting that the NPA board and the Minister of Energy at the time should also come under scrutiny.
“Investigators should go beyond the immediate past CEO and extend the inquiry to the board and the Minister of Energy during that period,” Nsiah stated.
The OSP’s crackdown on alleged corruption in the energy sector is widening. Alongside the NPA probe, the office has launched investigations into potential financial irregularities within the Minerals Income Investment Fund (MIIF), scrutinising transactions linked to Quarry Value Corporation, Electrochem Ghana Limited, and Agyapa Royalties Limited.
Energy policy analysts and the public are closely watching whether the OSP will expand its investigation to cover past NPA administrations.
The unfolding developments could reshape oversight and governance in Ghana’s petroleum sector, with potential ripple effects across the broader extractive industry.
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