Richmond Rockson, Spokesperson and Head of Communications for the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, has sharply criticised the Akufo-Addo administration for what he described as widespread mismanagement and institutional collapse across all agencies under the ministry.
His revelations detailed systemic failures, staggering debts, and reckless procurement practices that he claimed defined the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) stewardship of Ghana’s energy sector.
Rockson expressed dismay at the state of Ghana’s energy agencies inherited by the current government.
“If you look at our reserves, our exploration and production, if you look at our refinery capacity – if you look at Ghana Gas as an institution, if you look at Ghana Cylinder manufacturing company, if you look at GRIDCO, that’s the transmission lines, and almighty ECG –
“There’s not a single agency under the ministry that we haven’t encountered serious challenges with, like very, very serious challenges”
Richmond Rockson, Spokesperson and Head of Communications for the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition
He attributed these issues to various causes, including corruption, incompetence, and violations of procurement laws.
“You would wonder why the government would go that route, because you have the mandate of the people – you just have to deliver. Even if you don’t deliver, at least don’t sink the sector. And yet that is what they did”
Richmond Rockson, Spokesperson and Head of Communications for the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition
TOR Crisis
One of the most troubling examples Rockson gave was the state of the Tema Oil Refinery (TOR). “They completely messed up the Tema Oil refinery,” he said, reporting that the facility had been left in severe debt and under foreign control.
As of December 2024, the NPP government had left a debt of $517 million, with accounts that hadn’t been audited for six years.
According to Rockson, the Mahama administration has had to take decisive steps to salvage TOR and like many other agencies, place it under new management. However he stated that investigations are already underway to ensure those responsible are held accountable.
“My ministry’s posturing is not to rant. It’s to fix the problems and in fixing the problems, obviously, when we communicate, people will know where we are as an institution”
Richmond Rockson, Spokesperson and Head of Communications for the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition
Turning to the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Rockson described a troubling pattern of financial excess and poor procurement oversight. He revealed that the ECG consistently exceeded its approved budgets, sometimes by astronomical margins.
“For example, in 2023, they had a budget to spend over 800 million Ghana cedis. They spent over 8 billion Ghana cedis. In 2024, they had to spend 1 billion. They spent over 8 billion cedis. So for two years, you have a budget of 2 billion and you end up spending 16 billion. How will you survive as a company?”
Richmond Rockson, Spokesperson and Head of Communications for the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition
Looking Ahead
He questioned the logic behind such decisions, especially in cases where funds were used to procure non-essential items. The result, he said, was a glut of unused imports that contributed nothing to operations.
“If it is your business, will you do that?” he questioned, citing the presence of 2,600 non-essential containers sitting at the port. The situation, according to him, was worsened by the absence of vital components in the inventory like meters and transformers.
“They practically collapsed the company,” he Rockson cried, insisting no motive could justify corruption and incompetence of such heights. He praised recent progress made in the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition under the leadership of the new government, pointing to notable improvements in all sectors.
“If you look at what has been achieved in the last six months, pursuant to the directives by the Minister of Energy and Green Transitions, and the commitment of the current MD, then you ask yourself, what were they (NPP) doing in office in eight years?”
Richmond Rockson, Spokesperson and Head of Communications for the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition
In the wake of these allegations, the Ministry appears focused on rebuilding the sector while ensuring accountability for past failures.
The government, under President John Dramani Mahama, is expected to continue addressing the rot in the energy institutions left by the previous administration.
