John Abdulai Jinapor, the Energy and Green Transition Minister has stated that over 1,300 containers belonging to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) cannot just vanish into thin air.
According to John Jinapor, they are going to work with the Attorney General and the Police to retrieve the containers or the monetary value of the same.
An investigative report revealed more than 1,300 containers belonging to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) have vanished at the Tema Port.
John Jinapor’s comments come after an investigative report carried out uncovered the containers supposed to be cleared at the Tema Port cannot be accounted for by the port authorities.
Prof Innocent Senyo Acquah, the chairman of the committee that conducted the investigation noted that the ECG claimed to have 2,491 uncleared containers that comprised cables as well as other equipment belonging to ECG.
According to an independent audit at the port, they found only 1,134, leaving 1,347 unaccounted for.
Prof Innocent Senyo Acquah further disclosed the ECG had a dedicated fund that received weekly allocations for clearing the containers but was discontinued by the board with the claim of lack of funds.
The ECG subsequently awarded contracts to two firms to clear the containers, with one being pre-financed by ECG.
The reports further suggest one of the companies awarded with the clearing of the containers lacked the necessary licence to carry out the contract.
The committee further noted that the ECG’s procurement directorate had been merged with its Housing and Estate unit with the Director of Procurement having no prior experience in procurement and also not a member of any professional procurement body.
Receiving the report, the Minister of Energy John Jinapor stated, “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”.
“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.
He further announced that the procurement unit at ECG would be dissociated within a week and promised to commence swift, far-reaching measures to reform procurement procedures at the company.
Meanwhile, speaking to CITI FM John Jinapor stated, “Let me assure the country, whatever it takes to hold people liable and retrieve the containers or monetary value of the containers, we will do that”.
“We are doing everything we can to get them to open the pipeline because that will impact power supply,” he said.
Jinapor added, “Once we are looking for money to pay for debt we inherited, others are profiting and benefiting through illegal means. We cannot allow that to continue.”
