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The Oyibi Police Command in the Greater Accra Region has apprehended two individuals in connection with 40 bundles of electrical cables suspected to have been stolen from the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG).
The arrests are linked to the ongoing investigation into a massive theft of over 1,300 ECG containers containing cables at the Tema Port in 2025.
The two suspects, Ernest Tagbor, 50, from Ashiyie in the Adenta Municipality, and Prince Opoku, 44, were arrested following a tip-off that they were transporting the stolen ECG cables from the Seduasi area near Oyibi Prayer Camp to Kasoa. According to Oyibi Police Commander, Superintendent Augustina Enti, the suspects were intercepted just before moving the cables to their next destination. The 40 bundles were seized and are now in police custody.
Tagbor, one of the suspects, claimed ownership of the cables but could not provide any documentation to back up his claim. Opoku, who had been instructing commercial drivers to transport the cables, initially told investigators that the goods were destined for Dansoman, but the drivers contradicted him, stating they were hired to transport the cables to Kasoa. Both suspects claimed to have obtained the cables from Togo but could not provide any supporting evidence.
The suspects were arraigned before the Adenta Circuit Court on Wednesday, where they were granted bail in the sum of GH¢500,000, with two sureties, one of whom must have property to offer as collateral. However, the suspects were unable to meet the bail conditions and remain in police custody pending further developments.
The ECG had initially reported 2,491 uncleared containers at the port, but an audit revealed that only 1,134 were accounted for, resulting in a shortfall of approximately GHS1.5 billion in demurrage and procurement costs. Preliminary investigations suggest that the cables seized from the suspects were part of the stolen goods.
Superintendent Enti explained that while the investigation is ongoing, it is suspected that the cables were looted from the port. Richmond Rockson, Spokesman and Head of Communications at the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition, confirmed that the Ministry is aware of the operation. He further clarified that a high-powered joint committee, formed after the Prof. Innocent Senyo Acquah committee’s report, is working on tracing and retrieving the missing containers.
To date, about 1,392 containers have been moved from the ports to designated warehouses, with a total of 2,637 containers traced. The evacuation process is still ongoing. Mr. Rockson also emphasized that ECG has implemented reforms to tighten its procurement system, ensuring contractors deliver materials directly to ECG’s designated warehouses rather than merely showing documents indicating goods at the port.
In addition, ECG has realigned its procurement practices, focusing on critical materials such as transformers, which were previously missing from over 2,600 containers, while non-critical items like cables with long shelf lives were overstocked.
Following an investigation into the missing containers and procurement irregularities, Dr. John Abdulai Jinapor, Minister of Energy and Green Transition, inaugurated a technical committee in February 2025. The committee’s findings, which were alarming, led to reforms, and the Ministry pledged to work with the Attorney General and police to hold those responsible accountable.
Earlier in March 2026, the Criminal Investigations Department (CID), in collaboration with the Ministry of Energy, raided a facility in Tema and recovered over 100 tonnes of suspected stolen ECG cables. Eight Chinese nationals and two Ghanaians were arrested in connection with the theft and a metal export syndicate. Similar recoveries have been made at scrap dealers’ sites in other operations.
Story by Efua Nessa
Source :Loco tv