Missing 1,350 ECG Containers: Hold energy minister as prime suspect – Wontumi TV Journalist

Broadcast journalist and show host on Wontumi TV/Radio, Godwin Asare-Bediako, has said that the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, should be considered the primary suspect in the case of the alleged disappearance of 1,350 Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) containers from Tema Harbour.

His comment follows the minister’s serious concerns over the missing containers.

According to the minister, a committee set up to investigate the issue has uncovered alarming procurement breaches spanning several years.

In a Facebook post on Tuesday, March 25, John Jinapor disclosed that he had received a 103-page report detailing the extent of the irregularities.

“The findings from the committee report are very disturbing, with over 1,350 of the containers missing from the Tema port, aside from serious procurement breaches in the past few years,” he stated.

The minister further assured the public that law enforcement agencies would be tasked with bringing those responsible to justice.

“The law enforcement agencies will surely be tasked to hold culprits liable,” he emphasized, signaling the government’s commitment to ensuring accountability.

However, commenting further on the issue on Wontumi TV/Radio, Godwin Asare-Bediako, an experienced journalist, expressed doubts over how 1,350 containers could disappear in just one month. He was convinced that the minister has a lot of questions to answer and must therefore be the first person to be investigated.

"You said you had discussions with ECG, and they said they had a challenge. They imported containers but were unable to clear them due to a lack of funds and would have to pay demurrage charges. So you went with them to Tema Port to inspect and count the containers. After that, you held a press conference and claimed that you had found about 3,000 containers, stated how much ECG owed at the port, and explained how the government would clear the debt. You then chastised the management of ECG for dereliction of duty.

"Just one month later, you now claim that you've conducted an audit and, out of the 3,000 containers you counted at the port, 1,350 cannot be accounted for. Almost half of the containers cannot be found. The first suspect is John Jinapor. We Ghanaians didn't even know that ECG had this quantity of containers. You were the one who put out that information, and now you are the same person claiming that the number has reduced by this much. So the first suspect is Jinapor. I have many scenarios in mind.

"It would be difficult and shocking for 1,350 containers to go missing within a month. If there is to be a probe into this matter, it must be conducted live on TV for all Ghanaians to watch. There are supervisors at the port, National Security operatives, and port officials. Containers go through multiple processes before they are cleared."

TWI NEWS

Just give them a couple of days, they will form a committee to further deplete the public purse on this issue pic.twitter.com/rKCqKhSfom

— Harrydarling💖 (@AcheampongHarry) March 26, 2025