A government-led probe into the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) has revealed significant lapses in inventory management, with 54 shipping containers still unaccounted for, despite the recovery of over 2,600 containers linked to the utility provider.
The investigation, prompted by mounting concerns over ECG’s handling of port-cleared assets, has exposed troubling gaps in record-keeping and procurement practices that may have cost the state millions in demurrage and unutilised assets.
Speaking on Citi FM on Tuesday, 27 May, Richmond Rockson, spokesperson for the Ministry of Energy, confirmed that a special committee has been working since March to trace ECG’s containers at the Tema Port. The committee includes officials from National Security, the Ministry of Transport, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), and the Ghana Revenue Authority’s Customs Division.
“Out of 2,637 containers traced, 2,583 have been physically verified,” Mr Rockson disclosed. “But 54 remain missing, and we are determined to find out what happened to them.”
The containers are said to hold essential electrical materials such as cables and equipment critical for Ghana’s power distribution network. Their prolonged stay at the port has incurred hefty storage costs, with more than 2,400 of the containers exceeding the 60-day demurrage window.
“This is not just a clerical issue,” Mr Rockson noted. “There are serious procurement irregularities. Some equipment was ordered again despite being available in existing stock. Others have sat in storage for over ten years.”
Initial figures during the ministerial transition period suggested ECG had left nearly 3,000 containers uncleared. Further investigation revised the number to 2,491, of which only 1,134 had initially been verified, prompting Energy Minister John Abdulai Jinapor to initiate the probe.
The findings underscore systemic issues within ECG’s asset management systems. “We found containers ECG had no record of. On the flip side, some that they claimed existed could not be found at all,” Mr Rockson said.
The Chief of Staff, Julius Debrah, has since ordered ECG to transfer all retrieved containers to secure locations for a full physical inventory. Additionally, the Ministry has placed a freeze on all non-essential procurement and introduced a policy requiring suppliers to clear and deliver goods directly, bypassing ECG’s internal logistics process.
While efforts to trace the missing containers continue, questions remain about potential negligence or misconduct. Mr Rockson confirmed that both past and present senior officials at ECG are being scrutinised, with the Attorney-General’s office set to advise on possible legal action once the investigations conclude.
For many Ghanaians, the revelations are a sobering reminder of the need for greater transparency and accountability in public institutions. As the country grapples with recurring power challenges, the efficient use and tracking of vital infrastructure resources have never been more crucial.
