The Public Accounts Committee has directed that the staff of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) be prosecuted by the Attorney General for incurring expenses outside the approved budget without board approval.

During a PAC meeting on October 28, 2025, Ranking Member Samuel Atta Mills expressed his displeasure over the institution’s failure, as cited in the Auditor-General’s report, for exceeding expenditure on thirteen budget line items.

See the breakdown of funds ECG spent without the board’s approval in 2023

According to the Auditor-General, all thirteen-line items were implemented without board approval, with the funds spent on staff fuel, cleaning, hotel accommodation, and other expenses.

“… Now, before I refer you to the Attorney General for prosecution, let's go through some of these items. There were 13 items in your budget that you exceeded without any approval from the board. You said you have foreign training of GH¢ 31million, but you spent GH¢ 91million. 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?

“Now, honorarium expenses, GH¢3.8m, but you spent GH¢4.6m; hotel expenses GH¢9.3 million was your budget, but you spent GH¢12.2m. Staff fuel. Did they drive around the world? Budget was GH¢2.8m and you spent GH¢3.6million. Communication expenses, ECG, their budget was 4.2, but you spent 7.9 million. Consultancy, the budget was 40 million, but you spent 58.6 million. 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,” he quizzed.

Atta Mills, further citing the Auditor-General’s report, added that the unapproved budget expenses amounted to GH¢333 million, compared to the approved budget of GH¢144 million, exceeding it by GH¢189.2 million.

He indicated that, in his view, the actions of the ECG demonstrated a lack of financial discipline, resulting in significant losses to the state.

He, therefore, directed that the individuals responsible at the institution to be prosecuted.

“… Budget approval was for GH¢144 million, you spent GH¢333 million. That's an excess of GH¢189.2 million. This shows financial indiscipline, and the recommendation over here is that sanctions under section 96 of the Public Financial Management Act 216, Act 921, should be applied to the officers involved. We also urge management to efficiently monitor and control the company's expenses,” he said.

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He added, “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?”



MAG/AE

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