A report by the Auditor General (AG) has revealed that the procurement of meters worth over $145 million by the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) was in breach of the Public Procurement Act.
The report also revealed that ECG failed to fully recover GH¢53.9 million excesses identified through surveillance and failed to take legal action against customers involved in electricity theft, which should have served as a warning to others.
The audit took place between August and December 2022 and covered the period 2016 to 2021 at various locations of the ECG including the Head Office, Measurement Technical Services (MTS) Division, Materials and Warehouse in the Greater Accra Region, as well as four selected regional offices and nine district offices.
“ECG awarded 50 contracts for the procurement of 862,750 meters and their accessories, totalling US$145,011,53.92, without complying with the requirements of the Public Procurement Act during the audit period.”
“During the audit period, ECH was unable to recover all the GHC53,988,463.31 detected through surveillance and also failed to prosecute customers involved in electricity theft which would serve as a deterrent to others,” the report said.
In a letter sent to the Speaker on June 2, 2023, the Attorney General, Johnson Akuamoah Asiedu, recommended that the ECG ensure that all procurement activities are in compliance with the Public Procurement Act to ensure value for money.
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