, have been found to be false following a thorough investigation by fact-checking organisation DUBAWA.){kind=link}
Allegations circulating on social media suggesting that former Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia owns or benefits financially from Hubtel, the digital payment platform partnered with the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), have been found to be false following a thorough investigation by fact-checking organisation DUBAWA.
The viral claim, widely shared on Facebook, X (formerly Twitter), and other platforms, accused Dr. Bawumia of being a co-owner or shareholder of Hubtel. It was alleged that he profited from a percentage of all ECG payments made through the platform — an accusation that fueled public outrage and suspicions of corruption and abuse of office.
However, DUBAWA’s checks with Ghana’s Office of the Registrar General revealed that Dr. Bawumia is neither listed as an owner nor a beneficial owner of Hubtel. The official records show that Hubtel is owned by Alexander Adjei Bram and Ernest Kwesi Apenteng, debunking the widely circulated claim of Bawumia’s involvement.
Further, ECG’s 2023 financial report, prepared under International Financial Reporting Standards (IFRS) and in compliance with the Companies Act, 2019 (Act 992), recorded no financial transactions or payments made to Dr. Bawumia. This confirms that he receives no financial benefits from ECG through Hubtel.
Longstanding Business Relationship Between ECG and Hubtel
The investigation also traced the origins of Hubtel’s partnership with ECG. Hubtel, previously operating as SMSGH, has worked with ECG since 2007 — long before Dr. Bawumia became vice president. Notable projects include deploying ECG’s first APIs to access postpaid bills and managing the rollout of the company’s initial point-of-sale systems in 2011.
In 2022, Hubtel proposed a digital transformation solution to ECG aimed at resolving commercial inefficiencies. By July that year, the ECG Board approved a proof-of-concept plan, allowing Hubtel to implement its systems at no upfront cost to ECG. Hubtel then led a full overhaul of ECG’s commercial systems and began processing payments for bills and other related services.
The allegations surfaced just weeks before the 2024 general elections. Accounts such as @StatsAfric and political activists including Nana Yaa Prempeh and Marie Afua Amoakwa Boadu, shared posts accusing Dr. Bawumia of using his office to facilitate personal financial gain through Hubtel’s partnership with ECG.
In one viral post, Nana Yaa Prempeh asked, “Wait ooo so Bawumia owns Hubtel in Ghana, and Hubtel is the one in charge of ECG bills collections?” Such posts sparked public confusion and backlash.
DUBAWA’s findings refute the claim that Dr. Bawumia owns Hubtel or profits from its contract with ECG. The report highlights the importance of verifying politically charged allegations, especially those capable of undermining public trust and stirring unrest.
The fact-checking organisation urged the public to rely on credible sources and institutions for information and cautioned against the spread of misinformation, particularly in politically sensitive environments.