More than 1,300 containers under the custody of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) are unaccounted for at Tema Port.
The chairman of the investigative committee, Prof. Innocent Senyo Acquah, disclosed that though ECG reported having 2,491 uncleared containers containing crucial equipment like cables, an independent audit revealed that only 1,134 were located. This leaves a total of 1,357 containers missing.
Energy and Green Transition Minister, John Abdulai Jinapor, expressed deep concern upon receiving the report and vowed to pursue accountability.
“The over 1,300 containers cannot vanish into thin air. We will ensure those responsible are held accountable,” he assured.
Jinapor also promised swift action, including restructuring ECG’s procurement unit within a week and initiating reforms to prevent such irregularities in the future.
The investigation uncovered several issues, including:
– ECG previously maintained a dedicated fund for weekly shipment clearance, but this was discontinued before 2022 due to financial constraints, as stated by the ECG board.
– Despite budget limitations, contracts were awarded to two firms to handle container clearance, with one company pre-financed by ECG.
– One of the contracted firms lacked the required license to perform the task, raising questions about procurement violations.
– ECG’s procurement directorate was found to have been merged with its Housing and Estate unit.
– The Director of Procurement had no formal training or membership in any professional procurement organisation.
This investigation, initiated after the minister’s January 2025 visit to the port, estimates that liabilities stemming from the missing containers amount to GH₵1.5 billion.
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