Former Managing Director of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), Samuel Dubik Mahama, has commended the current leadership of the company for successfully tracing and retrieving more than 1,000 containers that were initially reported missing.
Speaking on JoyNews’ Top Story on Friday, Mr Mahama said the resolution of the matter should put to rest speculation and controversy that surrounded the issue.
“I’m glad that we are all seeing the end of this matter. It doesn’t sound like anybody took a container away and they couldn’t find anything. And it was clearly expressed when the managing director said they had found it all,” he said.
“It was sad how it all came about, but I guess it had to happen that way for all of us to get the clarity we needed and to get the whole conversation closed properly. Kudos to the current management and the team for working hard to get this sorted out.”
When asked what may have triggered the earlier reports of missing containers, Mr Mahama suggested they were fueled by misinformation.
“Gossip is the only thing that will create such a situation. Gossip aimed at maligning someone, gossip aimed at tarnishing someone’s image, or the image of the company, is the only thing that would lead to such a claim that brought this whole brouhaha within the country,” he noted.
Mr Mahama, however, cautioned against blaming the Energy Minister who first revealed the matter. He said the problem was more about how information was packaged and relayed, rather than an individual fault.
“Don’t blame the minister. How did the information get to the Minister? How was it gathered and sent to the Minister? Sometimes we are so quick to blame the top. Electricity issues don’t have particles—it’s red, gold, green with a black star.
“Let’s not personalize these things and start pointing fingers. The truth of the matter is that the matter is dead. We found it all. Let’s move on to the next big thing and see the company do very well,” he stressed.
Reflecting on lessons for the power sector, the former ECG boss urged management to base decisions on data and facts rather than emotions.
“ECG is a company that has a lot of potential. When decisions are being made, it shouldn’t be based on waves and caprices, but on facts. I wish everybody would stick to the facts, rally behind the Managing Director and the Minister, and work together to grow the company,” he said.
Mr Mahama reiterated that the containers were not missing but had been misplaced, and said collaboration with the Ghana Ports and Harbors Authority had resolved the issue.
“We have found them all, and we have taken some. Let’s keep giving the company a positive light, encouraging the staff, the management and everybody within ECG to do right by the good people of Ghana,” he added.
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