Security personnel squash alleged stolen electrification project materials at port

Security personnel of the Ghana Ports and Harbours Authority (GPHA) have intercepted large quantities of materials meant for the Self-Help Electrification Project (SHEP) that were being exported to Nigeria.

Even though the project has not been completed, Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) waybills covering some of the items described them as obsolete and slow moving materials, which were sold to some companies, including Georgyei Electrical Trading Enterprises and Sight and Sound Enterprise.

The items, which included 25mm aluminium conductors, strain insulators for high-tension cables and metal parts for the installation of pylons, were wrapped in sacks. Documents covering them said they were acquired from the Ring Road Store and Tema Depots of the ECG.

Apart from the 18 sacks containing the items and a drum of cables found by the GPHA Security in a cargo truck, other items valued at billions of cedis are in the Export Shed ready for shipment.

Inscriptions on some of the boxes containing the materials indicated that they were International Development Association (IDA) funded materials which were passed through the National Investment Bank (NIB) and supplied to the ECG.

Ms Doris Esi Dadjo, an official of the Customs, Excise and Preventive Service (CEPS), said the items have already been passed for export but are still at the Export Shed because there was no space on the ship, which was supposed to convey them to Nigeria last Monday.

GNA investigations at the Export Shed revealed that large quantities of such electrical materials had left the port within the last few months.

Captain Albert R. Cudjoe, Chief Security Co-ordinator of the Tema Port told the GNA, that the security agencies have directed that the goods should not be allowed to leave the port until full investigations have been conducted.

Capt. Cudjoe told newsmen that some electrical goods, which were covered by similar documents, were exported as scrap three weeks ago but when the port security saw similar documents covering the goods in the truck last Friday, they decided to do thorough investigations only to realise that the items were new.

The Port Security personnel therefore decided to question the agent, Mr Francis Asiedu of Jofance Enterprise, which was shipping the items, about the authenticity of the documents since ECG does not sell such electrical materials.

Capt. Cudjoe said six ECG officials who were invited to identify the items confirmed that they were for the Company and that they had been informed that the materials had been stolen and exported.

The officials, who included the Materials Manager at the ECG headquarters, Shipping Manager, Chief Internal Auditor and Purchasing Manager, said the company had been on the lookout for the thieves.

Capt. Cudjoe said the officials explained that even in cases where the items were supplied to contractors, they were expected to return leftovers to ECG.

Mr Asiedu, however, insisted that the items were genuinely acquired from the ECG Tema Depot and the Ring Road stores in Accra and produced waybills and receipts for the transactions.

One receipt had the face value of 40.3 million cedis for the sale of obsolete stock of SHEP material, which were bought by Georgyei Electrical Trading Enterprise on February 15, this year.

Mr Asiedu said on May 19, this year, his company again bought large quantities of strain insulators, which were simply described on the waybill as a lot, adding that the company was in the process of buying more on Wednesday.

He said the items were meant for a Nigerian called Tony, who was already in Nigeria expecting the goods, adding that, due to the delay, he decided to come down himself.

Mr Asiedu said about three local companies import these items, which could easily be obtained on the market. No arrest has been made yet.