By Daniel Bampoe
The Minority in Parliament is demanding that the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor appear before the House to explain growing discrepancies in the ongoing saga of the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) allegedly missing containers.
The call comes in the wake of a government audit that dramatically contradicts earlier claims that over 1,300 containers had vanished from the Tema Port.
At a press conference in Accra, the Member of Parliament for Afigya Kwabre North, and Deputy Ranking Member on the Energy Committee, Collins Adomako Mensah, questioned the credibility of the Minister’s initial statement, asking why more than 2,600 containers have now reportedly been found—over twice the 1,300 containers the Ministry had initially acknowledged were unaccounted for.
Controversy
The scandal erupted in March 2025 when ECG informed the Energy Ministry that 2,491 containers loaded with critical electrical equipment had been left uncleared at the Tema Port.
The company attributed the accumulation to a lack of funds for port clearance, a problem worsened by ECG’s procurement model where suppliers consigned goods directly to the company without pre-arranged payment or clearance logistics.
Alarmed by the scale of the backlog, Energy Minister Jinapor tasked a committee led by Prof. Innocent Senyo Acquah of the University of Cape Coast to investigate.
The committee’s initial findings were shocking: of the 2,491 containers ECG claimed, only 1,134 could be located, leaving 1,357 containers “missing.”
The revelation sparked national concern, with fears of a sophisticated smuggling or theft syndicate targeting state assets.
The controversy escalated when the Minister conducted site inspections in the Greater Accra Region, uncovering ECG-labelled cables being converted into aluminum rods in factories and warehouses.
This triggered a wave of arrests involving 14 individuals, including 10 foreign nationals, and prompted involvement from National Security, the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA), and Customs.
New Narrative
However, the narrative has taken a surprising turn.
On May 26, 2025, the Ministry’s spokesperson, Richmond Rockson, revealed that a more recent audit found 2,637 ECG containers in various port terminals and associated facilities.
This total significantly exceeds the previously reported 1,357 “missing” containers and raises questions about the accuracy of the original committee’s report.
Rockson noted that as of April 30, there were still 2,583 uncleared containers on the Uncleared Cargo List (UCL), many of which have accrued excessive demurrage fees.
The Ministry attributes the confusion to ECG’s procurement practices. Rockson explained that ECG had routinely ordered materials without ensuring they were cleared upon arrival, resulting in congestion and penalties.
He announced that Minister Jinapor had directed ECG to suspend all non-essential procurements and mandated a new system where suppliers clear and deliver equipment directly to ECG.
In a bid to ensure accountability, former ECG Managing Director Samuel Dubik Mahama has been questioned by security agencies and issued a caution statement.
Some ECG staff have been asked to step aside, pending further investigation.
The Office of the Attorney-General is expected to advice on potential prosecutions.
The Minority in Parliament is now questioning not just the Energy Minister’s handling of the matter but also the integrity of the committee that initially claimed the containers were missing.
“We need clarity. How do we move from 1,300 missing containers to over 2,600 found? Who misled the Minister, and why?” MP Adomako Mensah queried.
The Ministry has yet to clarify whether there will be consequences for members of the investigative committee, whose findings now appear flawed.
