ECG Staff Face Prosecution for GH¢189M Budget Breach, PAC Demands Answers

The Public Accounts Committee (PAC) has recommended the prosecution of Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) staff by the Attorney General for incurring expenses significantly outside their approved budget without proper board authorization. This directive comes after the Auditor-General’s report revealed the company’s alarming financial indiscipline.

During a PAC meeting on October 28, 2025, Ranking Member Samuel Atta Mills expressed strong displeasure over ECG’s failure to adhere to budgetary allocations, citing the Auditor-General’s findings that expenditure on thirteen budget line items was exceeded without board approval. These over-expenditures, which amounted to a staggering GH¢333 million against an approved budget of GH¢144 million, an excess of GH¢189.2 million were reportedly spent on staff fuel, cleaning, hotel accommodation, and other operational costs.

“Now, before I refer you to the Attorney General for prosecution, let’s go through some of these items,” Mr. Atta Mills stated, detailing the discrepancies. “There were 13 items in your budget that you exceeded without any approval from the board. You said you have foreign training of GH¢31 million, but you spent GH¢91 million. Why? And who approved that? … You said cleaning expenses, GH¢2.8 million, that was your budget but ECG spent GH¢10.4m. How many suits did you clean for that?”

The Ranking Member also highlighted other significant overspending, including honorarium expenses (GH¢3.8m budget vs. GH¢4.6m spent), hotel expenses (GH¢9.3m budget vs. GH¢12.2m spent), staff fuel (GH¢2.8m budget vs. GH¢3.6m spent), communication expenses (GH¢4.2m budget vs. GH¢7.9m spent), consultancy (GH¢40m budget vs. GH¢58.6m spent), and stakeholders’ expenses (GH¢3.1m budget vs. GH¢49m spent).

“All these you did on your own without even board approval. Stakeholders’ expenses, your budget was 3.1 million, and you spent 49 million, and you want to increase our tariffs?” Mr. Atta Mills questioned, emphasizing the lack of financial discipline.

Citing Section 96 of the Public Financial Management Act 216, Act 921, he recommended that sanctions be applied to the officers involved. “CEO, those managers who were involved, I’m recommending that they need to face the Attorney General for prosecution. It’s just simple and short. You spend all this, and you want to come and increase our tariffs?” he concluded, underscoring the committee’s call for efficient monitoring and control of the company’s expenses.