Kwadwo Poku, executive director, Institute for Energy Policies and Research) on ECG Procurement
The Executive Director for Institute for Energy Policy and Research, Kwadwo Poku says his outfit has petitioned the office of the special prosecutor to investigate and take punitive action against any individual found culpable in the procurement breaches by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
This follows its investigation into some procurement lapses at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) revealed in the recently published Auditor-General report.
The institute has since been probing why electric meters procured for customers were still found in the warehouse of ECG while customers across the country are in dire need of these meters. Speaking on Energy 101 on Asaase Radio on Monday (23 August), Kwadwo Poku said there is enough evidence for people to be held liable.
Background
The latest Auditor General report revealed management of ECG procured prepayment meters and 265sq meters of conductors amounting to GH¢59,161,964.56 between 2014 and 2016. Those items were not issued till the time of their inspection on August 8, 2019.
The Auditor-General’s report also disclosed that electrical materials amounting to GH¢11,581,019.21 were given out on loan to eight beneficiary Companies.
Those materials were issued out between 2014 and 2018 without any specific terms of the agreement.
It advised Management to pursue the returns of those electrical supplies or the parties concerned should be made to pay for the cost of the materials as considered appropriate before the materials become obsolete.
“We noted during our audit that 17 transformers were damaged within 2010 and 2013 but they are unable to ascertain the basis upon which the transformers with an average useful life of 35 years can
be damaged without use,” it added.
The report recommended to ECG’s Management to safeguard assets procured and ensure that the faulty transformers were repaired or the Procurement Officers and Operations Directorate should be held responsible for the damage to the equipment.
The report noted that during the review of the company’s store summary, a total amount of GH¢3,214,526.18 and GH¢1,746,094.89 were classified as stock surplus and shortage respectively.
It called on the ECG Management to strengthen supervision to safeguard assets and urged Management to expedite action to produce the Committee’s report for review.
