Former ECG MD, Samuel Dubik Mahama
Former Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) Managing Director Samuel Dubik Mahama has adamantly insisted that the 1,346 contentious containers that were reported missing from ECG’s inventory have not left the Tema Port.
Speaking in an interview with TV3 monitored by GhanaWeb on Wednesday, April 2, 2025, he rejected claims that the containers had vanished and emphasised that port authorities still have control over them.
“Honestly I want to say that I believe strongly that the containers are at the Port. There are only two entities that have control of those containers. Let’s bear in mind that the Minister went to the Port, a restricted area. Containers have a formular as to how they leave the port. This conversation would have been different if we were saying that the containers were in the custody of ECG and got lost, but that is not the conversation. The conversation is that those containers are at the Port, so they are in the custody of the GPHA and Ghana Customs.”
His comments follows a report by the Energy Minister’s technical committee, which disclosed that over 1,300 containers belonging to the ECG could not be accounted for.
The missing containers sparked worries about potential corruption, smuggling, or poor supply chain management at ECG.
Dubik Mahama questioned why ECG’s containers would be put up for auction without the company’s knowledge, adding that unpaid duties shouldn’t result in covert disposal.
“ECG hasn’t paid its duties. So why auction a container belonging to ECG without notifying ECG? Because in my candid opinion, that’s the only way a container can leave the port,” he stated.
Asked if he’s saying the containers left the port without ECG’s knowledge, Dubik Mahama swiftly responded: “I will say if they have left…I will be very careful to say if they have left. Containers don’t get missing. A container is not like a piece of paper that you will fold and throw away. For international supply chain logistics, a container has a unique number.”
Meanwhile, the energy minister, John Jinapor, has announced that his ministry has taken additional steps to uncover the whereabouts of the missing Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) containers.
In an interview with the media on Wednesday, April 2, the minister disclosed that his office has formally requested the Attorney General to conduct further investigations, with the possibility of initiating legal action against those responsible.
“We’ve written to the Attorney General to conduct further investigations with the possibility of taking the culprits in court,” he stated.
Additionally, Mr Jinapor disclosed that the National Intelligence Bureau (NIB) has been tasked with carrying out a forensic investigation to trace the missing containers and establish accountability.
To prevent further losses, the minister noted that he has personally written to the National Security Secretariat, seeking their assistance in securing the remaining containers to facilitate a proper reconciliation process.
“Some containers are still scattered. We need to secure them so that we can put them to good use while we pursue those that cannot be accounted for,” he added.
Some of the containers have already been discovered, and some people—including Chinese and Ghanaians—have been arrested.
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