A great politician, an astute academician, a renowned Islamic scholar, a communications guru, and a philanthropist is celebrating his birthday today. Dr. Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, the Chief Executive of the National Petroleum Authority (NPA), has a personality with different shades. He is a politician and public servant with impeccable honesty, a communicator with flawless oratory, and an Islamic scholar with considerate viewpoints. That has earned him many titles – Honourable, Sheikh, Doctor, Chief.
As he celebrates his birthday today, let’s have a brief journey into his leadership and communication prowess.
Dr. Abdul-Hamid is indeed a leader, a leader by birth; some argue that the training he had in the hands of his military father shaped his leadership acumen. Others say no, he is a born leader.
His burning desire is to impact people’s lives through counseling, coaching, offering financial support, and extending development projects in every organization he heads. That is anchored on his principle of hard work and sacrifice which he exhibits and echoes in his admonitions that “nothing good comes easy.”
Indeed, Dr. Abdul-Hamid fits into the description given by Bill George, a professor of management practice at Harvard Business School: “Good leadership isn’t about status or power or faking it till you make it. Instead, good leaders take the time to discern who they are and to follow the deeply held beliefs, values, and principles that guide them. ”
No wonder he set a record at the University of Cape Coast (UCC) for concurrently serving as the President of the Ghana Muslim Students Association and the Students Representative Council. He delivered seamlessly in both roles.
His rich communication skills began to glow while in secondary school; he was a prolific debater – first in Bawku Secondary School where he had his Ordinary Level education, and then in Tamale Secondary School where he had his Advanced Level education.
His communication prowess caught the attention of political bigwigs in the country leading to his appointment as the Spokesperson for the then NPP Presidential Candidate, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, in 2007 until 2017. It was a role he performed to the admiration of many given his spotless oratory skills and great exposition of national issues. It was an endorsement of such performance that President Akufo-Addo appointed him Minister for Information and Government Communications in 2017. He again proved his mettle as a prolific communicator in that position charting the course for government information flow. He was credited for preparing his deputy, Mr. Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, to later take up the substantive position.
While at the Ministry of Inner City and Zongo Development, he spearheaded the development of Zongo communities in terms of infrastructure in the areas of classrooms, libraries, ICT centres, mechanized boreholes, and health centres.
His communication mastery again came to the fore when was appointed as the Deputy National Campaign Manager for the NPP for the 2020 Presidential Elections. His stellar drive, in terms of disseminating the achievements of the ruling party and refuting allegations against the government, contributed significantly to the NPP’s victory in the 2020 general elections.
Dr. Abdul-Hamid’s appointment as the NPA Chief Executive in 2021 came as a blessing to the members of staff; he has put smiles on their faces by way of general promotions, which have been delayed for years.
The impact is also evident in the implementation of key policy programmes of the Authority. He has implemented the cylinder recirculation model (CRM) policy to eliminate the current intricate distribution concept and ensure safety in the distribution chain of LPG and introduced open tender for the importation of LPG. Besides, the collection of levies and margins have increased from a little over 50 percent to above 90 percent. He is credited for ensuring uninterrupted importation and supply of fuel products in difficult moments while other African countries were experiencing shortages.
Besides, he promoted religious tolerance and cohesion at NPA; he allowed for morning prayer services for Christians and created an opportunity for Muslims to observe their daily and Friday (Jum’a) prayers at a designated place, which was unprecedented. His modesty is also sublime as he introduced a policy of sitting in common buses with his Deputies, Directors, Heads of Department, and officers for external meetings and sporting activities. No wonder he won many awards, including the 2021 and 2022 CEO for the Year and 2022 Outstanding Public Sector Leader.
His peers saw the leadership traits in him at continental conferences on the downstream petroleum industry, through his articulation of industry challenges and propositions for solutions, and consequently elected him as the President of the African Refiners and Distributors Association (ARDA). He is making waves there as well leading to his reelection.
Testimonies of Dr. Abdul-Hamid’s impact on people’s lives abound from his former and current workers and friends. He is seen as a generous, motivational, and progressive leader who is fair to all irrespective of religious or ethnic affiliation.
The prayer is that Dr. Abdul-Hamid continues to soar higher so that the fruits that he bears will be plucked by many in the country and beyond.
Happy birthday, Honourable, Sheikh, Doctor, Chief Mustapha Abdul-Hamid
More blessings from Allah upon you. Ameen
