ECG’s attempt to deceive Parliament backfires

An attempt by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) to convince Parliament with false documentation over the completion of some electrification projects has hit a snag following field visits by the Auditor-General of the land.

A report of the Public Accounts Committee (PAC) of Parliament on the Reports of the Auditor-General on the public accounts of Ghana – public boards, corporations and other statutory institutions for the years ended December 31, 2010 and 2011 which was presented to Parliament last Thursday for consideration and approval stated that the ECG had in the 2010 financial year, presented certified documentation of electrification projects in some parts of the country to the Auditor-General to indicate that those projects were completed.

However, site inspection conducted by the Auditors revealed that those projects in the Asunafo North, Yendi and Kassena/Nanakana Municipalities and Asunafo South, Kwaebibirim, Ejisu Juaben and Nkwanta District Assemblies were uncompleted even though they had been recorded and certified in the books of the National Electrification Scheme (NES) as completed.

In the Asunafo South District for instance, the Auditors reported that one year after the mounting of a transformer at Afutuo Nsakyera Onipa (Maame Maabra Akuraa), the project had still not been commissioned even though the community had been provided with meters.

Chairman of the PAC, Kwaku Agyemang-Manu, noted in his report that the situation deprived the Volta River Authority (VRA), the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCO) of the needed revenue.

In another instance, seven communities in the Kwaebibirem District (Atobriso, Old Ntronang, Subireso 1, Subireso 2, Nyinatease, Tiawa and Nkenkaasi) had not been provided with service one year after commission of the project.

However, the consultant’s report, according to the PAC, captured the projects in all the communities as completed.

Worried about the presentation of false information, Parliament has recommended that organizations responsible for the implementation of electrification projects should endeavour to follow up on reports submitted to consultants in order to confirm their accuracy.