The Association of Ghana Industries (AGI) has launched a scathing critique of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), demanding the immediate settlement of arrears owed to local manufacturers amid revelations of questionable cable imports.
This follows reports that ECG has imported over 1,000 containers of electrical cables, including aluminium conductors, despite Ghana’s full capacity to produce such materials locally—actions AGI says flout the country’s local content laws.
Even more alarming, AGI revealed that many of these imported containers have reportedly gone missing.
“Pay us, not importers,” the association demanded in a statement issued on April 5, calling the situation “most unfortunate” for a state-owned utility already struggling with debt.
“It is sad to note that our local manufacturers of aluminium conductors, who continue to create jobs, are owed huge sums of money, yet importers are promptly paid,” AGI fumed.
AGI’s Chief Executive Officer, Seth Twum-Akwaboah, did not mince words.
“For a state institution that is already saddled with huge debts, this is most unfortunate,” he said, though he acknowledged the Energy Minister’s ongoing efforts to clean up the mess.
The group reminded ECG of its own past commitment to promoting local content, which encouraged the establishment of Ghanaian factories for the production of aluminium conductors, treatment of wooden poles, and assembly of meters and transformers. This led to the passage of L.I. 2354 in 2017, a local content law that solidified policy direction and helped create thousands of jobs.
“Indeed, this was a classic example of local vertical integration, which could have served as a model for the country,” the statement said. “Today, Ghana has 100% LOCAL production capacity for aluminium conductors with raw material from VALCO.”
In that context, AGI said the recent imports are not only unnecessary but also illegal. “Importing such huge volumes breaches L.I. 2354,” it stressed, calling for a full investigation into all contracts and imports that violate the regulation.
AGI issued three key demands:
The Ministry of Energy and Green Transition must strengthen public financial management systems and carry out regular audits to ensure compliance.
All questionable imports must be thoroughly investigated, and any illegal contracts rejected.
ECG must urgently pay arrears owed to local manufacturers, with the same priority given to local power producers.
The association also clarified that not all local suppliers qualify under the local content framework. “Local suppliers who merely import finished items do not qualify to be classified as local content suppliers,” the group emphasized.
AGI concluded with a stark warning: Ghana’s industrialisation drive will remain a mirage without strict enforcement of local content laws and meaningful support for domestic manufacturers.
“The message is clear: stop ignoring local industry, stop the imports, and start paying those building the future from within.”