ECG retrieves over 1,000 missing containers

The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has successfully traced all its previously missing containers, retrieving more than 1,000 from the Tema Port, a significant step towards resolving the logistics challenges that have hindered its operations.

Briefing the Energy Committee of Parliament on the company’s progress, Acting Managing Director Ing. Julius Kpekpena said substantial strides have been made since May, when numerous containers could not be accounted for.

“So far, we have moved over a thousand containers. I’m happy to say that we traced all of the containers and we started moving them from the port,” Mr Kpekpena noted.

He indicated that ECG has also intensified efforts to stabilise the country’s power supply.

“We have managed to curb outages. We are not saying that we have eliminated outages, but we have worked to curb them, and we are continuing to implement measures to ensure we do not return to the challenges we inherited,” Mr Kpekpena said.

An earlier investigative report had revealed that more than 1,300 containers destined for ECG remained unaccounted for at the port.

The committee chairman, Prof Innocent Senyo Acquah, disclosed that while ECG claimed 2,491 uncleared containers containing cables and other equipment, an independent audit found only 1,134, leaving 1,347 missing.

Prof Acquah presented these findings to the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor.

The report highlighted systemic issues at ECG. Before 2022, the company had a dedicated fund for weekly container clearance, but the practice was discontinued due to alleged funding shortages.

During this period, contracts to clear the containers were awarded to two firms, with one being pre-financed by ECG. Investigations revealed that one of these companies lacked the proper licence, raising concerns about procurement irregularities.

The committee also noted that ECG’s procurement directorate had been merged with its Housing and Estate unit. Background checks revealed that the Director of Procurement had no prior procurement experience and was not affiliated with any professional procurement body.