New Patriotic Party (NPP) National Treasurer and General Secretary hopeful, Dr. Charles Dwamena, popularly known as Dr. China, has accused opponents in the race of allegedly using fintech company Hubtel to engage in what he describes as cyberbullying against him using a disputed shortcode.
Dr. Dwamena confirmed that he has taken Hubtel to court over an unauthorised linking of his name to the shortcode.
Addressing journalists on the suit on Tuesday, the NPP National Treasurer disclosed that the controversy began after a shortcode, *714*2028#, was circulated on social media as an alternative platform for collecting funds on behalf of the NPP.
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Dr. Dwamena said the claim was false, insisting that the NPP’s officially approved payment shortcode remains *920*270#.
He said he immediately issued a disclaimer after his attention was drawn to the circulation of the disputed shortcode, warning the public and party supporters to disregard it.
“The *714*2028# that is being circulated as false, it is not a code for the party’s use for collection, and so people should disregard it,” Dr. Dwamena said.
The NPP General Secretary hopeful explained that Hubtel had previously issued *713*2028# to his campaign team in January 2026 as a private shortcode for donations towards his campaign for the NPP General Secretary position.
He said concerns arose when some individuals within the party allegedly requested the activation of another shortcode, *714*2028#, in April 2026.
Dr. Dwamena said he objected to the proposal because the two shortcodes were almost identical and could create confusion among party members and the public.
“I drew the attention to the fact that Hubtel in January 2026 had already issued *713*2028# to Dr. China, Charles Dwamena’s campaign code,” he said.
“So if you request Hubtel to activate *714, really the difference is just one. They get four and three. It will create confusion.”
He said he instead recommended that the NPP’s official shortcode, *920*270#, should be used for official party collections.
Dr. Dwamena argued that despite his objections, the disputed *714*2028# shortcode was activated and linked to his existing campaign shortcode.
He stated that when the shortcode was dialled, his name appeared, creating the impression that funds sent through the platform were connected to his campaign.
The NPP National Treasurer stressed that he had not authorised the use of his name in connection with the disputed shortcode.
“I have not authorised Hubtel to activate any *714 in my name. And so, if it so happens that my name is out there with *714, I need an explanation. The campaign team needs an explanation,” he said.
Dr. Dwamena said he personally contacted Hubtel’s Chief Executive Officer to raise concerns about the alleged link between his name and the shortcode.
He said he asked the company to clarify the situation and take appropriate action.
According to him, he gave Hubtel between one and two weeks to address the issue, but claimed that no action was taken.
He said his campaign team subsequently wrote to the company, but the matter allegedly remained unresolved.
Hubtel must answer for fraudulent shortcode
Dr. Dwamena described the alleged linking of his name to the shortcode as ‘fraudulent’ and ‘mysterious,’ insisting that the matter must be investigated.
He appealed to the court to establish what happened, identify those responsible for such cyberbullying and ensure that anyone found culpable faced the appropriate sanctions under the law.
“It is clearly a propaganda machinery someone tried to put up there, and it doesn’t fly,” he said.
“But the fact that it failed doesn’t mean we should sweep it under the carpet. We need to interrogate it, get to the bottom of it, so that we can punish them for what they did.”
Dr. Dwamena said he believed the case could serve as a deterrent to others who might attempt to use similar cyberbullying tactics against political opponents.
He called on Hubtel to be more proactive in addressing matters that could affect the reputation of its clients.
According to him, companies should not remain silent when their platforms are allegedly used in ways that could damage the reputation of individuals.
Cyberbullying
The NPP General Secretary hopeful described the alleged use of his name in connection with the disputed shortcode as a form of cyberbullying.
The case, he said, is no longer solely about his personal interests but also about protecting people who may be targeted through similar methods online.
“We’ve taken the matter to court. They’ve been sued. It will be a victory for Ghana against cyberbullying, not just for Dr. Charles Dwamena. It will be a victory for anybody who has been bullied on the internet,” he stated.
Dr. Dwamena said he would not allow himself to be intimidated or bullied and insisted that those responsible must be held accountable if the court finds wrongdoing occurred.
“You will not bully Dr. China and go scot-free because Dr. China is not a pushover,” he said.
“Hubtel has to answer and will answer. And whoever is found involved in the problem will be dealt with according to the law,” he warned.