The National Treasurer of New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Charles Dwamena, also known as Dr. China has dragged fintech company Hubtel Limited to the High Court (Commercial Division) in Kumasi over breach of contract and negligence involving USSD shortcodes used for campaign donations.
Dr. China who is also an aspirant for the position of General Secretary in the upcoming national executives elections, has filed for general damages.
In a Writ of Summons and Statement of Claim filed on or around 17th July 2026 (Suit No. OCC 1201/2026), Dr. China is seeking a series of declaratory reliefs, a mandatory injunction, an account of transactions, general damages of GH¢5 million, exemplary damages, special damages, interest, and costs.
He is seeking the position of General Secretary in the upcoming NPP National Executives Elections.
In January 2026, his team contracted with Hubtel to operate the code *713*2028# to collect campaign contributions.
His concerns began in April 2026, when an NPP IT officer allegedly requested that Hubtel activate a separate code, *714*2028#, purportedly for party dues collection.
Court documents cited specific evidence, including USSD prompts and mobile money receipts showing payments directed to Dr. Dwamena via the unauthorised code.
Dr. China further indicated that Hubtel later deactivated his contracted *713*2028# shortcode without his consent, cutting off his campaign donation channel during a critical pre-election period.
Dr China immediately raised written objections on a joint WhatsApp platform, warning that a duplicate code would cause massive confusion.
Despite the clear warning, Hubtel went ahead to activate the unauthorised code.
The court documents further indicated that the new code was technically linked to display Dr China’s personal name as the beneficiary.
This setup triggered intense political fallout as false narratives quickly exploded across NPP WhatsApp groups and social media platforms.
The viral posts wrongly accused the National Treasurer of fraudulently diverting official party membership dues into his private account.
To make matters worse, Hubtel completely shut down Dr China’s original campaign shortcode without his authorisation.
This sudden deactivation effectively choked off his donation pipeline during a critical stage of his political campaign.
Claims of Breach and Negligence
The Statement of Claim argued that Hubtel owed Dr. China contractual and tortuous duties, including the duty to:
- Maintain and operate the assigned shortcode exclusively for his campaign.
- Refrain from activating or linking shortcodes bearing his name without consent.
- Avoid deactivation without authorisation.
The plaintiff contended that Hubtel’s actions— activating the conflicting code despite his documented objection, linking the codes, and deactivating his platform— amounted to breach of contract and negligence.
He also accused the company of creating a conflict of interest by serving both his campaign and NPP Headquarters.
Damages sought
Dr. China is claiming substantial damages, stating that the incidents caused:
- Severe reputational harm through alleged defamatory publications portraying him as diverting party dues.
- Loss of campaign donations.
- Political and professional damage to his bid for the NPP General Secretary position ahead of the September 18–20, 2026 elections.
He is also seeking a full account of all transactions through the *714*2028# shortcode and payment of any sums found due him.
Reliefs requested
Among the key reliefs are:
- Declarations affirming the existence of a valid contract and that Hubtel’s actions were wrongful.
- A mandatory injunction to reinstate *713*2028# and permanently deactivate *714*2028#.
- General damages of GH¢5,000,000.
- Exemplary damages for “reckless and high-handed conduct.”
- Interest at the prevailing Bank of Ghana rate and legal costs.
The writ was issued by Nana Freduah Agyeman Osborn Esq. of Osborns Legal Prac in Asokwa, Kumasi.
Background
Dr. Charles Dwamena is a former Deputy Ambassador to China and has held key positions within the NPP, including National Treasurer.
Hubtel Limited is a licensed payment service provider under the Bank of Ghana’s regulatory framework.
As of the time of filing this report, Hubtel Limited is yet to file an appearance or respond publicly to the allegations pending before the Commercial Division of the High Court in Kumasi.
This matter highlights the growing intersection between digital payment platforms, political campaign financing, and potential disputes over control of donation channels in Ghana’s political landscape.
