A former Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Mahama, has rejected claims that 1,346 ECG-bound containers have gone missing, insisting that they remain under the custody of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) and Ghana Customs.

Speaking on TV3’s Ghana Tonight programme on Wednesday, April 2, Mahama dismissed allegations that the containers had disappeared under his watch, stressing that ECG was never in direct custody of the cargo.

"Honestly, I strongly believe the containers are still at the port," Mahama stated, emphasising that only two entities—GPHA and Ghana Customs—had control over them.

His remarks follow a technical committee report by the Energy Ministry, which claimed that over 1,300 containers meant for ECG could not be accounted for, raising concerns about mismanagement and possible corruption in the company’s supply chain.

“Containers are at the port, not missing”

Mahama refuted the notion that ECG was responsible for any missing cargo, arguing that the issue was a matter of port procedures rather than mismanagement within ECG.

"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 case. The containers are still at the port," he asserted.

He also questioned why ECG’s containers would be auctioned without official notification, stressing that unpaid duties should not justify their disposal without ECG’s knowledge.

"If ECG hasn’t paid its duties, does that justify auctioning a container without informing ECG? That’s the only way a container can leave the port," he argued.

Mahama dismissed the idea that a container could simply vanish, calling the assertion unrealistic.

"A container is not like a piece of paper that you fold and throw away. In international supply chain logistics, every container has a unique number… A container cannot get missing. A container can only get misplaced or lost at sea. So there are laid-down processes in every port worldwide. All I'm trying to say to you is that we need to have a diligent search and everybody needs to assist in this," he stressed.

Criticism of Energy Ministry’s Committee

Mahama also criticised the Energy Ministry’s technical committee for failing to consult him before publishing its report. He expressed frustration that his name appeared in the committee’s findings despite not being given the opportunity to present his side of the story.

"As I sit here, the committee completed its job without speaking to me. Yet, I am named in the committee’s report," he stated. "They spoke to directors at ECG, but not to me. How would you feel if you were in my position?"

He further claimed that while in office, he wrote to the Ghana Revenue Authority (GRA) regarding the containers but never received a formal response.

"There are letters flying around. When I was in office, I wrote to them. But I never got a reply," he noted.

As investigations continue, Mahama has called for a thorough review of port records and accountability from relevant authorities to establish the true whereabouts of the ECG-bound containers.