The ongoing investigation into the disappearance of numerous Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) containers has gained momentum as Energy Minister John Abdulai Jinapor reaffirmed his commitment to retrieving the missing assets.
Addressing the issue, he disclosed that several arrests had been made and that the state would pursue further action to uncover the full extent of the scandal.
“As you may be aware, some nationals have been arrested, but because of the long weekend, I believe they are still processing them. Next week, I’m sure they will arraign them before court”
John Abdulai Jinapor, Energy Minister
He credited patriotic citizens for their role in assisting authorities, stating that many of the discoveries were made possible by intelligence from concerned Ghanaians.
“If anything positive has come out of this expose, it is the fact that we keep receiving a lot of calls and intelligence from the general public about the whereabouts of these containers.
“Most of the factories and the warehouses we have uncovered these cables at are as a result of Ghanaians, patriotic citizens who call in and out and offer information”
John Abdulai Jinapor, Energy Minister
The Minister noted that the scheme had been operating for years, significantly shortchanging the state.
While he acknowledged the importance of clarifying the timeline and those responsible for the disappearance, he maintained that his primary objective was to locate and “recover the containers for their intended purpose.”
Urgency of Recovery Efforts
Jinapor highlighted the dire state of Ghana’s power network, attributing frequent blackouts to an overloaded system in need of crucial equipment.
“Today, the grid is not very stable, the distribution network, it’s like the more rainfall you get, the power keeps going out.
“We need these equipment to inject into the system, stabilize power, and recover the money. We can’t spend another round of money going to buy similar items when with some amount of effort, we can retrieve these items or their monetary value, and so that is my focus”
John Abdulai Jinapor, Energy Minister
He stressed that these missing ECG supplies were necessary to stabilize the grid, improve distribution, and recover the financial losses incurred by the government.
Beyond retrieval, the Minister reiterated that the rule of law would prevail. He disclosed that he had already engaged security agencies, particularly the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB), to conduct a thorough investigation into the scandal.
“Those who are held liable will be given the opportunity and their day in court.”
Investigation and Transparency
When asked whether his ministry would publish a full investigative report on the findings, Jinapor confirmed that transparency remained a priority.
He stated that he had already released information on the ongoing probe and would continue to do so as developments unfolded.
“Certainly, and I’m thinking I’ll brief the president on Wednesday,” he confirmed.
He further proposed the establishment of an expert investigative team composed of individuals with customs and logistics experience.
This team, he suggested, would work alongside security agencies to determine exactly how the containers left the port and where they had been diverted.
“I believe that if we have a three or five-member team, and they have the full record, they can trace how these containers got out of the port and where they ended”
John Abdulai Jinapor, Energy Minister
Ongoing Pursuit of Suspects
While confirming the arrest of fourteen individuals, the Minister indicated that security forces were actively pursuing additional suspects.
He noted that some individuals of interest, including foreign nationals, had fled their last known locations before authorities arrived.
“The very last warehouse we went to, when we got there, all of them had bolted, and they had locked the warehouse but when you peep through, you can see a lot of these drums, the cables with ECG on the wooden pallet”
John Abdulai Jinapor, Energy Minister
Jinapor confirmed that security agencies remain on the trail of these individuals and were determined to bring them to justice.
The ECG missing containers scandal has exposed significant vulnerabilities within the country’s procurement and supply chain management systems.
Minister Jinapor has committed to retrieving the missing assets, addressing systemic loopholes and ensuring accountability.
The public now awaits the next phase of the probe as authorities work to bring those responsible to justice.
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