Ghana: Investigative Committee Finds 1,347 ECG Containers Missing At Tema Port

A five-member technical committee constituted by the Minister of Energy and Green Transition to investigate procurement activities at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has disclosed that 1,347 out of 2,500 containers procured by ECG, that were to be cleared at the Tema Port, cannot be accounted for.

The committee made this disclosure when it presented its report to the Energy Minister, John Abdulai Jinapor, at the Ministry on Tuesday, March 25, 2025.

Presenting the report, the Chairman of the committee, Prof Innocent Senyo Acquah, mentioned that ECG claimed to have 2,491 uncleared containers that contained cables, as well as other equipment at the Tema Port. He said independent audit at the port found only 1,134, leaving 1,347 unaccounted for.

According to Prof Acquah, before 2022, ECG had a dedicated fund that received weekly allocations for clearing the containers.

However, the practice was discontinued, with the ECG board citing a lack of funds.

Meanwhile, during this period, the company awarded contracts to two firms to clear the containers, with one being pre-financed by ECG.

It was further discovered that one of these companies lacked the necessary licence to carry out the contract, raising concerns over procurement breaches.

Besides, the committee found that ECG’s procurement directorate had been merged with its housing and estate unit.

Additionally, background checks on the Director of Procurement revealed that he had no prior experience in procurement and was not a member of any professional procurement body.

Receiving the report, Mr Jinapor described the findings as alarming and assured that a thorough investigation would be conducted with the assistance of the Attorney General and the Police.

“The over 1,300 containers cannot vanish into thin air. We will work with the AG and the police to ensure those responsible are brought to book to retrieve the containers or the monetary value of the same,” he stated.

The minister also announced that the procurement unit at ECG would be decoupled within a week and pledged to introduce swift, far-reaching measures to reform procurement processes at the company.

“It cannot be business as usual. We are not targeting anybody, but we will make sure whoever is responsible will be held liable,” he added.

The investigation was launched following the discovery of the uncleared containers during the minister’s visit to the port in January 2025.

Source:https://energynewsafrica.com