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ECG’s IT department resisting checks and balance moves by the MD – Kwadwo Poku
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The Executive Director of the Institute for Energy Policies and Research, Kwadwo Poku, has fingered the IT department of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) for the technical hitch that affected the credit purchasing system of the Company.
According to him, the Managing Director of ECG, Samuel Dubik Masubir Mahama, has been trying to enforce some changes at the Company, especially in regards to how the credit system is controlled, but is facing some resistance from the IT department who control the system.
While he stopped short of accusing the IT department of sabotage, he noted that the on-going impasse may have a direct link to the system shutdown that ECG had experienced over the past six days.
This comes after some ECG prepaid consumers were left in the dark after a technical challenge affected the purchase of credits for their meters.
Customers in Volta Region, Takoradi, Tema, Cape Coast, Kasoa, Winneba, Swedru, Koforidua, Nkawkaw and Tafo were affected.
On October 1, ECG said they had fixed the vending challenges, however, some consumers were still reporting challenges on Sunday morning.
Commenting on the issue on JoyNews’ PM Express, he said, “So the MD says look, no, we need transparency. If our whole entire operation is based on one person or one department controlling the credit system, we need to have checks and balances, so open it up, let Director of Finance and other departmental heads also see what is going on.
“As it stands now, what they do is what you call a database. So a database of how much credit they’ve sent to various regions and how much various regions have sent to various vendors, he wants to change that to an accounting platform so that you can’t manipulate. You can now juxtapose that into your financials.
“Now what happens is that, the Managing Director of ECG and his managers are asking the IT department to give them some information. That information is not forthcoming. Bear in mind there have been people who have been arrested in the Ashanti region for selling these prepaid credit to people and they’ve been arrested and been prosecuted. That is public knowledge.
“There are vendors around the country that are not on the ECG vendor list. How do they get their credit? So the MD is trying to change things around at ECG and insists that the ECG IT department opens up and let’s see what’s going on. That is how the National Security came in. the National Security didn’t come in to take a source code for a third party,” he said.
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Committee on Mines and Energy, John Jinapor, also called for restraint concerning the issues surrounding the system shutdown.
According to him, while the IT department of the ECG has been bastardised following the technical hitch, it would be rather unfair to do so when there has been no concrete evidence to prove such claims.
He has, however, mentioned that the Management of ECG will be invited to appear before the Committee after the issue is resolved for investigation into the cause of the hitch.
“I have spoken to Chairman of the Committee, honourable Atta Akyea, that when all is over ECG must be invited to appear before the committee so that we can deal with this issue and get the full facts. Because at that level, you’re appearing before a committee that has the powers of a high court and sometimes you’re under oath.
“But I think that it is early days yet to begin to accuse people directly. You may have your suspicions just as we also get a lot of information. And I’ve been very very careful putting out a lot of the information I get.
“In fact, I am aware that the IT department has worked around the clock to bring all this service back on and so let’s be very very careful not to pigeonhole people and demonise them.
“It is my hope that this investigation will be very very transparent and that the full details will be made available to the general public in terms of what really transpired and what we can do going forward. So I will plead with all of us to exercise maximum restraint in levelling accusations,” he said.
Source: www.myjoyonline.com
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The University of Ghana Medical Centre (UGMC) has disputed claims made on social media by comedian Michael Blackson concerning the treatment given to his late mother, saying a review found that the allegations did not accurately reflect what happened during her stay at the hospital.
In a statement issued in Accra on August 5, 2026, the management of UGMC expressed condolences to Mr. Blackson and his family over the death of his 83-year-old mother, who died at the facility on July 16, 2026.
The hospital said it had taken the concerns raised by Mr. Blackson seriously and conducted a thorough review in line with its clinical and administrative procedures.
According to the statement, the facts presented by Mr. Blackson on social media contained “numerous inaccuracies” and did not accurately reflect the medical care provided to his mother.
UGMC explained that she was referred to the facility from another hospital and received treatment there from May 27 to July 16, 2026, a period of about eight weeks.
The hospital stated that it would not release details of her diagnosis, treatment, medical records or other aspects of her care because it had a duty to protect patient confidentiality, even after death.
It said the decision was intended to respect the dignity of the deceased and the privacy of her family.
UGMC further stated that all clinical decisions at the facility are made by qualified healthcare professionals based on medical judgment, established standards of care and the best interests of the patient.
The statement added that such decisions are made in consultation with authorised family representatives where necessary and that billing and financial procedures are governed by institutional policies and are separate from clinical decision-making.
The hospital noted that it values feedback from patients and their families and considers both positive and negative comments important for improving the quality of care.
Mr. Blackson had earlier used social media to criticise the care his mother received at UGMC, prompting the hospital’s response.
By: Jacob Aggrey
