Cabal At ECG Siphoning GH¢200M Monthly

Details are emerging that last week’s system failure at the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), which resulted in challenges with the purchase of power by customers across the country, was allegedly orchestrated by a cabal within the company.

Mr. Samuel Nartey George, the Member of Parliament (MP) for the Ningo-Prampram, in the Greater Accra Region, who dropped the hint, noted that the suspected cabal had been engaging in fishy deals and thereby milking the company at the blind side of the state.

In a Facebook post on Sunday, October 2, sighted byThe Anchor, the opposition lawmaker mentioned that information he received suggests some staff of ECG, particularly at the Information Technology (IT) Department, are those behind the illicit move, and raking into their personal vaults GH¢200 monthly.

According to him, when Samuel Dubik Masubir Mahama, the managing director of the ECG, got wind of the illicit deal and started to investigate it, the cabal moved to scuttle his investigation and that culminated in the disruptions in the prepaid metering system.

He mentioned that, what the public witnessed in the last few days was an internal power play to cripple the new managing director, who has dared to probe into these matters by the suspected saboteurs.

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He writes, “The challenges with the ECG are extremely serious. The attack on their system was not external but carried out by a cabal of ‘criminals’ within the very same organisation. The government MUST as a matter of urgency commence a forensic investigation of the IT department of ECG.

My information points to a group that has been siphoning over GH200 million every month! Yes you read that right.

What we are witnessing is internal power play to cripple the new MD who has dared to open an investigation into these matters. The State security apparatus MUST with alacrity take this matter up and ensure the safety and protection of the MD and his team seeking to uncover the mess.

The rot at ECG would make you sick if you truly love this Country and it is not about politicians here. It is Ghanaian citizens taking advantage of the citizens. We demand swift and immediate action!

For God and Country. 🦁🇬🇭”

The Deputy Ranking Member of the Communications Committee of Parliament has, therefore, called on government to institute a forensic investigation into activities of some staff at ECG, as a matter of urgency.

Challenges Resolved

Meanwhile, the company has announced that the system problems have been resolved.

A statement from the company on Saturday, October 1, 2022, sighted by The Anchor, said, it is also working to ensure that the issue with its ‘Power App’ is also resolved for seamless service provision.

Aside from the usual Saturday working hours, the company said provisions were also being made for ECG to work at its district offices on Sundays, to make up for the challenges that were encountered in the last few days.

“The Electricity Company of Ghana wishes to inform all stakeholders especially our cherished customers on our prepayment metering system that the issue with 3rd Party Vending Points has been resolved.

“Customers can now purchase electricity credits from their nearest vending points, and ECG Offices, including tomorrow Sunday 2nd October 2022 from 9.00-4.00pm.

“ECG once again assures our cherished customers that we are working as assiduously to restore the Power App for an improved and seamless service provision,” the company said.

Details of the said challenge were not readily available to The Anchor, but other reports had alleged that their database might have been hacked into.

A report by Ghanaweb claimed that National Security and National Cyber Security officials were called in to assist the company to address the said technical glitch that made it impossible for vendors to sell credits.

The news portal also quoted a graphiconline report that alleged that it had gathered that “Sources within ECG that the systems have been compromised by external sources who are currently controlling the source codes and have refused to release them to the ECG.”

The report went further to say that “The ECG is currently undertaking a comprehensive audit of its system to establish what caused the technical failure that has affected service to many of its prepaid customers around the country.”

According to the report, the two institutions were called in to delve into the issue to avoid similar occurrence in future.

“There is high suspicion of the system having been hacked hence the support from the Cyber Security,” the report quoted the Graphic report as saying.

Source: Anchorghana