Ghanaian police have arrested two individuals and launched a manhunt for a truck driver suspected of transporting stolen Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) cables, amid separate revelations of over 1,300 missing ECG containers at the port.
The incidents underscore mounting concerns over supply chain vulnerabilities in the state power utility’s operations.
Central Regional Police apprehended driver’s mates Mohammed Sulemana and Iddrisu Basit on April 1, 2025, after discovering 28 rims of ECG cables in an abandoned articulated truck (GC 7410-11) at Gomoa Awombrew. ECG officials, led by Operations Officer David Ackom, confirmed ownership of the cables but clarified no authorized shipment was scheduled for the area. “The truck remains under police guard while efforts continue to arrest the driver, Zibo Imoro, who fled,” the police stated.
The arrest coincides with claims by former ECG Managing Director Samuel Dubik Mahama that 1,346 containers intended for the company remain at Ghanaian ports, contradicting a technical committee report ordered by the Energy Minister that labeled them “missing.” Appearing on TV3’s Ghana Tonight on April 2, Mahama asserted, “The containers are at the port. Only Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) and Ghana Customs control them.” He dismissed suggestions of ECG mismanagement, stressing the containers were never in the utility’s custody.
Mahama questioned why ECG containers would be auctioned without notification, despite unpaid import duties. “A container isn’t a piece of paper you discard. Each has a unique international logistics number,” he said, implying systemic lapses in port oversight. His remarks follow allegations of corruption within ECG’s procurement processes, though he shifted blame to port authorities.
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The twin controversies highlight persistent weaknesses in Ghana’s critical infrastructure governance. While police focus on recovering stolen cables, the broader issue of vanished containers—valued at millions of dollars—raises questions about accountability at GPHA, which manages 98% of Ghana’s maritime trade. Similar port discrepancies have plagued state agencies for years: a 2023 Auditor-General’s report noted $320 million in unaccounted state assets, including energy sector equipment.
Analysts argue ECG’s reliance on overstretched port authorities creates loopholes for theft and bureaucratic graft. “Without integrated tracking between customs, ports, and end users, accountability evaporates,” said Accra-based logistics expert Efua Mensah. The government has yet to address Mahama’s claims, but the Energy Ministry’s silence amplifies calls for transparency. With Ghana’s power sector already strained by $1.6 billion in debt, resolving these systemic flaws grows increasingly urgent to prevent further disruptions to electricity supply.
