A coalition of 14 Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) has filed a civil suit against the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and Fidelity Bank Ghana Limited.
The CSOs in their law suit are demanding clarity on the obligations of ECG under the Public Procurement Act (2003), amid allegations of procurement abuses and conflicts of interest involving politically exposed executives.
The CSOs who filed the suit include the Africa Centre for Energy Policy (ACEP), the Institute for Liberty and Policy Innovation (ILAPI), and the Centre for Democratic Development (CDD).
They argued that ECG’s recent engagement of Fidelity as its “single account” custodian and the associated multi-million dollar forex transactions should have adhered to the Public Procurement Act.
The Coalition states that because ECG failed to comply with the legislation, it has violated procurement regulations, which were designed to promote transparency and accountability in public sector dealings.
They further raised questions about potential conflicts of interest as certain executives from Fidelity Bank sit on ECG’s board.
It is the case of the Coalition that the failure of ECG to comply with the law creates a murky environment for decision-making, further exacerbating the procurement issues that have plagued the energy sector.
It added that ECG’s procurement activities are central to its financial woes and must be scrutinised to prevent a repeat of the debilitating power crises that have previously affected the country.
Below are the 14 CSOs
1. Africa Center for Energy Policy (ACEP)
2. Democratic Credentials Network (DCN)
4. Institute for Liberty And Policy Innovation (ILAPI)
5. Africa Centre for Entrepreneurship and Youth Empowerment (ACEYE)
6. Renel Ghana Foundation (RENEL)
7. Grassroot Mobilizers Foundation (GMF)
8. Centre for Democratic Development (CDD)
9. IMANI Centre for Policy and Education (IMANI)
10. Institute of Energy Studies (IES)
11. Community Focus Foundation Ghana (CFF-Ghana)
12. ODEKRO PMO Foundation (ODEKRO)
13. iWatch Africa (iWatch)
14. Center for Extractives & Development (CEDA)
By: Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
