The Energy Commission has intensified monitoring and enforcement activities at the Tema Port to prevent substandard and unlicensed energy products from entering the Ghanaian market, amid concerns over public safety and revenue losses.
The stepped-up surveillance follows an internal investigation commissioned by the Commission’s Board after it assumed office in August, which uncovered significant irregularities in the importation of regulated electrical and energy products, including solar photovoltaic systems, electrical appliances and related equipment.
During a working visit to the port, Professor John Gartchie Gatsi, Chairman of the Board of the Energy Commission, said the inspection was aimed at observing operations at the Inspectorate Unit firsthand and identifying challenges undermining effective enforcement.
“The purpose of this visit is to understand what is happening on the ground and address weaknesses that allow non-compliant products to enter the country,” Prof. Gatsi said.
He disclosed that the investigation revealed that approximately 98,000 solar PV units were imported into Ghana between December 2024 and August 2025, with a large proportion allegedly brought in without the required licences and statutory fee payments.
According to Prof. Gatsi, periods of government transition often create regulatory gaps, particularly when boards are not constituted early, making the system vulnerable to exploitation by unscrupulous importers.
He stressed that the Commission’s intensified surveillance was driven primarily by safety concerns rather than revenue mobilisation.
“When products that do not meet our standards enter the market, lives and property are put at risk,” he said, warning that non-compliant electrical wires, batteries and appliances could increase fire outbreaks, equipment failures and exposure to hazardous materials.
The Board Chairman also expressed concern about the importation of electric vehicle batteries that may not meet safety requirements, describing them as potentially dangerous to users and the wider public.
Prof. Gatsi revealed that within the last three months alone, inspectors at the Tema Port had seized about 300 refrigerators and other electrical items that failed to meet regulatory standards.
He further noted that some importers allegedly exploited loopholes by declaring large consignments of regulated products as personal effects, blurring the line between commercial imports and personal use.
The investigation also raised concerns about the handling of detained items, with reports indicating that some seized goods were transferred to warehouses belonging to the same importers, without clear oversight by the Commission.
To address this, Prof. Gatsi said the Commission was considering closer collaboration with the Ghana Revenue Authority to utilise bonded warehouses, or alternatively lease warehouse facilities, with associated costs passed on to importers in accordance with the law.
The report also identified cases where clearing agents signed detention documents, a practice Prof. Gatsi described as unacceptable and indicative of weak internal controls.
Although the Commission has yet to fully quantify the financial losses associated with the irregularities, Prof. Gatsi said the state was losing substantial revenue, affecting the Energy Commission, Customs and the Ghana Revenue Authority.
He acknowledged staffing constraints at the port and said additional personnel would be deployed to strengthen supervision and enforcement.
Prof. Gatsi added that prohibited items were disposed of in collaboration with the Environmental Protection Agency due to their environmental and health risks.
He said the Board would soon meet to review the investigation report and its recommendations, noting that the port visit was a critical step toward implementing reforms to strengthen regulatory oversight and protect public safety.
