We'll launch criminal investigation into ECG's missing containers at port - John Jinapor

The Minister of Energy, John Jinapor, announced a criminal investigation. This inquiry will focus on over 1,300 missing containers from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).

Jinapor spoke on JoyNews' News Night on March 25. He stressed the need for a forensic probe. The goal is to find out how the containers left the port and where they went.

Upon taking office, he received a briefing about ECG's situation. He learned that ECG had containers stuck at the port. Initially, they reported about 2,500 containers were there.

Jinapor visited the port and found significant demurrage fees. He stated that it amounted to around 1.5 billion.

After an investigation, a committee discovered more than 1,300 containers were unaccounted for. This was contrary to ECG’s claim of having 2,491 uncleared containers.

“We will launch a criminal investigation into this matter,” Jinapor said. He emphasized determining how and where those containers were removed from the port.

National security and various stakeholders in the value chain will be involved in this investigation. Jinapor is confident that they will uncover the truth and hold those responsible accountable.

An investigative report led by Prof. Innocent Senyo Acquah revealed important findings. It noted that ECG had previously maintained a fund for clearing its containers but stopped this before 2022 due to financial issues.

Additionally, ECG hired two firms to clear these containers. However, one company did not have the necessary license for this work, raising concerns about procurement irregularities.