Power Thieves: JoyNews uncovers a cartel that forges documents to sell unapproved meters
Power Thieves: JoyNews uncovers a cartel that forges documents to sell unapproved meters | The Big Stories
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NewsTranscript
00:00 Joy News investigations have uncovered a cartel,
00:03 including staff of the electricity company of Ghana
00:06 and security guards who forged documents
00:08 to sell off unapproved meters to prospective consumers
00:12 at exorbitant prices.
00:13 Now, a separate meter that costs a little over 800 CDs
00:17 is sold by these individuals for as high,
00:20 as much as 2,500 Ghana CDs.
00:23 Now, Joy News investigative desk reveals the actions
00:27 of these individuals enable their power consumers
00:30 to enjoy free electricity without the knowledge
00:34 of ECG offices in most parts of the country.
00:38 We get into that conversation now,
00:41 as we interact with the head of the electricity company
00:46 of Ghana, Dubik Mahama.
00:47 But before him, here is the latest scoop
00:50 on all of those dynamics in that latest documentary
00:54 put together by our very own Kwete Nathie.
00:57 - The Joy News investigative team decided
01:01 to visit ECG offices in three regions
01:05 to ascertain the extent of the canker.
01:07 At the Accra East Regional Office
01:10 and Sub-Transmission Office near Makola,
01:13 I met Abraham, an ECG staff at the meters office.
01:18 He said, "A separate meter, which ordinarily goes
01:21 "for 800 Ghana CDs, will cost me 2,000 CDs."
01:26 He showed me documents he had processed
01:29 for a different customer,
01:30 but was willing to transfer it to me
01:33 only if I would pay the amount.
01:35 - The last time the price, you said how much?
01:37 The price, the price, the price, how much?
01:42 This one, reduce it a little for me.
01:46 How do you go about it?
01:48 I give you, I give you 1,005 when I come for it
01:52 and I give you the balance.
01:54 - Oh, okay, no problem.
01:56 Okay, no problem.
01:57 - He advised that if I followed the established process,
02:03 I would have to wait for almost a year to get the meter.
02:06 He however promised that he could assist me to get a meter
02:10 if I paid just a little more than the statutory fees to him.
02:13 I'm giving you this, this one for someone.
02:17 - Okay.
02:18 - But the person also not ready now.
02:22 - Oh.
02:22 - So let me go to the, who's ready.
02:26 I'm giving it to you.
02:27 - Thank you.
02:28 - He boasts of helping many individuals struggling
02:31 to secure such meters at ECG offices.
02:34 In Abraham's confession, three prospective customers
02:38 will soon be beneficiaries of these meters he's working on
02:42 after they paid 2,000 CEDs each.
02:44 - This meter for someone, so.
02:47 - Okay.
02:48 - I'm programming it six years to use.
02:50 - Okay.
02:51 - But it's not reflecting, so there's a clipping.
02:53 After it reflects, you use the card to buy.
02:56 - Okay.
02:57 - And that is here.
02:58 But it's not reflecting.
02:59 - Okay.
03:00 - And when it's not reflecting, you can't store it.
03:02 When you store it, the person cannot purchase.
03:04 - Okay.
03:05 - Then you are owning the customer.
03:06 - Okay.
03:06 - So I just want to give you a receipt.
03:08 - Okay.
03:09 - Official receipt, for daily purchase.
03:10 - Okay.
03:11 - I don't want to be the criminal, so.
03:14 At this time, nobody gets time.
03:18 - Abraham is not alone in this business of providing meters.
03:22 But this Energy Commission staff who identified himself
03:25 as Jerry at the Kwabena office of the ECG
03:29 is another operative in the street.
03:32 This is the exact district the ECG identified
03:36 over 15,000 customers who were using power illegally.
03:41 Jerry promised he will help me acquire a meter.
03:44 He asked me to pay 2,500 CDs.
03:48 (indistinct chatter)
03:51 (laughing)
03:57 (indistinct chatter)
04:00 (indistinct chatter)
04:04 (indistinct chatter)
04:07 (indistinct chatter)
04:10 (car horn honking)
04:32 (indistinct chatter)
04:35 After I made part payment to Jerry,
04:49 he delves a bit deeper into how he got meters
04:52 for people like me, who are in dire need of a meter,
04:56 but are unable to wait for months
04:58 before they would be assigned one.
05:00 Jerry and his accomplices transfer the transaction details
05:04 of another prospective customer
05:06 to those offering to pay more for meters.
05:09 - I have to get something to attach it.
05:11 - Where is that place?
05:12 - Like how?
05:13 - Like the 500 meter.
05:15 - So you have to come for them, I will go take it.
05:17 - No, not that you will come for them.
05:19 Normally, I will give you 300.
05:21 I have to do the thing for you if you come for me.
05:23 - Okay, okay.
05:24 But we are going to get the receipt today.
05:26 - No, not with the receipt.
05:28 - Why?
05:29 - It will be to you, when I give it to you,
05:31 you go and check it.
05:32 Tell me to bring it to you.
05:33 - Okay.
05:34 - Aviachi Motor ECG office,
05:36 I came across this ECG contractor.
05:39 He gave his name, Asame.
05:41 He blamed the difficulty in acquiring meters
05:45 on the shortages in the system.
05:48 He also charges at least 2,500 CDs
05:51 to provide separate meters.
05:53 (indistinct chatter)
05:57 - Oh, 2,500.
05:58 (indistinct chatter)
06:01 - And those are the interesting tales.
06:09 These are the things happening in our,
06:11 well, private, should I say public institutions,
06:15 like the Electricity Company of Ghana.
06:18 Well, we have a conversation now with Samuel Dubik Mahama,
06:23 who is Managing Director
06:24 of the Electricity Company of Ghana.
06:26 He has joined us for a conversation.
06:27 Later on, we'll also be joined by the Executive Director
06:30 of the Ghana Integrity Initiative, Mary Awalana Ada.
06:33 But let me start with you, Mr. Mahama.
06:35 A very good morning to you, sir.
06:37 - Good morning, sir.
06:39 How are we?
06:39 - Hello, Mr. Mahama, can you hear me?
06:42 - Yes, I can hear you.
06:43 Good morning.
06:44 - Great.
06:45 It's good to have you.
06:46 I already had some concerns
06:48 I had wanted to share with you this morning.
06:50 So it's good to have you join the conversation.
06:53 But are you aware of all of this that is going on
06:56 in terms of the meters
06:58 and how they are being sold to the highest bidder,
07:02 so to speak?
07:02 Are you aware of this?
07:03 - I am very much aware.
07:06 And this saddens me.
07:10 It's so sad.
07:13 It's so sad that customers have to go through
07:15 something like this.
07:17 It's so sad that staff of ECG will collect monies like this
07:21 and not even a quarter of that money comes into ECG's coffers.
07:25 I must categorically apologize to our customers
07:30 who've gone through this.
07:32 This is not supposed to be how we do business.
07:36 We are very sorry, and we intend to fix this problem.
07:40 Now, in identifying this after taking office,
07:44 one of the main things we decided to do
07:47 was to start what I call the loss reduction program.
07:51 Under the loss reduction program,
07:52 the processes of getting a meter
07:55 has been structured in such a way that it is electronic.
08:00 The human interface has been reduced drastically,
08:04 where it is only the point where
08:07 the energy commission,
08:09 a certified energy commission electrician,
08:13 and the estimator go to the area
08:16 to verify the location of the property.
08:18 But it is clear that whenever you close one loophole,
08:22 another one comes up.
08:23 Because now, from one of the videos,
08:26 the I think the Kwabena one,
08:27 you can clearly see the gentleman,
08:29 who is an electrician,
08:31 who is certified by energy commission,
08:33 now having to create his own group of people,
08:37 and they now collect ahead of,
08:39 to see how they can fast track your service delivery.
08:43 It's sad, it's difficult,
08:47 but it's not something that we cannot do.
08:50 So strongly, we are now going to automate everything
08:53 from beginning to end.
08:55 Because clearly we know that there are some of us
08:59 who work with us that we cannot trust.
09:01 These sad people are not even supposed to be
09:04 on the premises of ECG in the first place.
09:07 - I see, but so that poses some questions.
09:11 They are not supposed to be on the premises,
09:13 because per what we find, it's not just staff.
09:16 We also have even security guards,
09:19 also partaking in the process.
09:20 You say they shouldn't be on the premises.
09:22 So how did they end up there?
09:24 - So I'm talking about the farm in our contractors
09:27 who are supposed to,
09:28 there was one that they said that
09:29 a guy called Sami.
09:31 All of these people are people who,
09:33 the limiters have been given to,
09:34 to go and install for a customer.
09:36 But they have found a way to deprive that customer
09:39 of that meter,
09:40 and will now divert the meter to someone else,
09:44 who have given them more money.
09:47 And that also distorts the information
09:49 in the systems within ECG.
09:51 It's mind boggling,
09:56 because in one breath,
09:58 they seem to think that they are helping,
10:00 but in a different space, they are not.
10:03 If you take the incident in Accra,
10:05 is the Makola one.
10:07 You ended up installing a postpaid meter
10:10 that was never read for how many months?
10:12 - Mm.
10:13 - You understand?
10:13 So the company keeps bleeding.
10:16 The company is closing the gaps.
10:18 And to be very fair,
10:20 the next question we need to ask is,
10:21 after we've all seen these videos,
10:23 should these people still work at ECG?
10:25 - And that is the question,
10:26 because from what we,
10:28 I mean, it's a cartel,
10:29 I'm sure the veins of Sain stretch across the country.
10:32 But they issue forged documents.
10:34 How is that possible?
10:36 - So as I said,
10:38 now we've gone,
10:40 as I said,
10:41 now we've gone very, very cashless.
10:43 We've gone,
10:44 we now have a system where
10:46 even the whole process has to start from online.
10:49 But now, to those who are so gullible
10:51 that they haven't actually approached the main office,
10:55 because you see what your man did was,
10:57 people met him outside the building.
11:00 So those who are not,
11:01 so you know what I would encourage is,
11:03 anybody who needs service from ECG,
11:05 please enter the ECG office.
11:08 Speak to someone within ECG.
11:10 Speak to the district manager.
11:12 Speak to the district commercial officer.
11:15 You need to speak to people within ECG.
11:20 Because when you speak to those outside,
11:22 they are the ones who've created their own cartel.
11:24 What saddens me is that--
11:26 - So these are basically guru boys and girls,
11:29 that's what you're saying?
11:30 - Exactly.
11:31 I'm not saying no,
11:32 I'm not saying that.
11:33 There are some that are ECG staff.
11:35 And from the video, we have seen those.
11:38 - Yes, yes, but you're also saying
11:39 that there are guru boys and girls there.
11:41 Not just ECG staff.
11:42 All right, I get that.
11:45 Just hold for me, Mr. Muhammad.
11:46 You are aware of the presence of these guru boys and girls.
11:50 What have you done about the situation?
11:51 And to add to that,
11:53 you're saying that people should go inside
11:54 and interact with ECG staff.
11:56 I get that, that is the right thing to do.
11:58 But the process tends to be lengthy.
12:01 And people are, from what I have gathered on the street,
12:03 are always complaining that the process is lengthy.
12:06 And it almost appears that sometimes
12:08 they'll keep making it lengthy until you pay something.
12:11 So what are you doing about those two angles?
12:14 - To talk about, I don't want to say something
12:16 that would mean like we are looking at the integrity
12:20 of the video.
12:20 That video is sacrosanct and I intend to rely on it.
12:23 But from the time frame within which
12:27 this investigative piece was done,
12:28 and what ECG is doing today,
12:31 is that I'm telling you your new service request
12:34 starts from online.
12:35 - Okay.
12:38 - So basically 85% of the problem you've just seen
12:43 has been solved.
12:44 So when you go on the new ECG app,
12:48 there's a service request portion at the top right corner,
12:52 where you click on and follow the requisite steps
12:56 before you come into the office.
12:58 Where your transaction IDs are all generated
13:02 for the process to be completed.
13:04 So I will encourage everybody to start from there,
13:09 while we work our way downwards to solving the problem.
13:13 But my main,
13:17 apart from apologizing to people who've gone through this,
13:21 because I keep getting these phone calls all the time,
13:24 and I am really sorry.
13:26 And I cannot blame anybody else but myself
13:30 and the institution for people going through this.
13:33 Again, if you've been through this,
13:35 please visit our office immediate.
13:37 Because you know what I have found out?
13:40 Is that there are service requests,
13:43 but I do not have the people's details in my system.
13:47 - Wow.
13:47 - And the phone numbers that are in my system
13:49 for new service delivery,
13:51 when I call them, it goes to Guru Boys.
13:53 - Hmm.
13:56 - So now I currently have meters sitting down
13:59 for new service, but I can't find the people.
14:01 - That's quite a curious situation you have to deal with.
14:06 But hold for me, Mr. Mahamad,
14:07 there's at least one very,
14:09 there's a crucial bit I have to put to you
14:11 before you take leave of us.
14:12 But please permit me, let me bring in Mary Awolana-Adda.
14:16 She's Executive Director, Ghana Integrity Initiative.
14:19 Mary Adda, with all of this going on,
14:21 of course, integrity is crucial.
14:23 How has your organization received news
14:26 of this latest documentary piece?
14:28 - Thank you very much.
14:30 Good morning to you and to your listeners
14:33 and also to the CEO of the ECG.
14:38 It is one of the ECG service deliveries
14:43 totally in our context,
14:46 has manifested some of these.
14:49 And so it is not out of the blue
14:52 that we see the ECG under reference this morning.
14:57 It is one of the unfortunate things we would want to see.
15:05 However, that is it.
15:07 Judging from what Kwese has done,
15:11 you would realize that it is a common feature
15:13 because he didn't do this just in one location.
15:18 He went at least around three or four days of the ECG
15:21 to do this, meaning it is a common feature
15:25 which we are not at all surprised about.
15:28 And we also know for a fact that when it becomes
15:33 or it gets to the levels of infinity,
15:37 it becomes very difficult to deal with.
15:40 It becomes the game, the mainstay of the people.
15:43 It becomes what they do on a daily basis.
15:46 And so they do it with impunity and get away with it.
15:51 So for us, it is very painful to know
15:54 that I want to acquire a meter
15:56 and I do not get it when I need it,
15:58 but I need to go to a betweener or a guru
16:03 whom the CEO is acknowledging.
16:07 How do we then going forward,
16:10 remove some of these barriers to service delivery
16:14 for the people of Ghana to ensure
16:16 that we have the best?
16:18 He says we have the online system going on
16:23 that I can bet you that if you go out there today,
16:27 the frustrations which have been projected
16:30 by cases would show future.
16:34 And so it's worrying that public servants
16:37 who seem to do certain jobs
16:39 are wrongfully amassing wealth for themselves.
16:45 And when we talk about them,
16:48 not much is done to reverse this situation.
16:52 The level of integrity in the process must be high.
16:56 Let's see better than just saying
16:59 that we have a process which is taking away
17:03 most of this system.
17:05 We know just last week, we are still receiving complaints
17:08 in the Inlack about some of these cases.
17:11 We have received a lot of them
17:13 and we would not mind at all sharing.
17:16 - Well, like you say, this runs across,
17:23 you know, the length and breadth of our agencies,
17:26 administrative and otherwise public institutions.
17:29 Mr. Mahama, right before I come back to Mary Ada,
17:33 you mentioned, did you say 87% or 82%?
17:37 - I said about 82%.
17:40 - 80?
17:41 - 80%, I said 80%.
17:43 - 80%.
17:44 So about 80% of this has been done away with.
17:47 When do you project we can have a seamless process
17:52 where there is no such interference,
17:55 where people, guru boys,
17:57 staff of the ECG security guards or whatever
18:00 will be cut out, completely cut out of the system?
18:03 - By the end, I'm hoping before the end of the year.
18:07 We are in a test environment.
18:10 We are testing a few other aspects of it
18:12 for it to go live.
18:13 And as soon as that is done,
18:15 in the next month or two,
18:19 after the testing phase, we'll put it out there
18:21 and then the whole thing will be streamlined.
18:23 Lastly, Friday, ECG staff went out on an engagement tour
18:27 with everybody as part of customer service month.
18:31 And what they did was to also educate people on the app.
18:35 We want the app to be the first point of contact.
18:37 And for those who do not have smartphones,
18:40 star 226 hash will give you the interface quickly
18:44 for you to know what you have to do
18:46 and how you need to meet these issues.
18:49 And then also, please,
18:51 there is a way to report recalcitrant ECG staff.
18:55 Help ECG to weed out these people within the company.
19:00 Because we cannot talk about fixing a state institution
19:04 and then yet some people are comfortable
19:07 with paying these bribes
19:08 or because they want it in a very fast way.
19:12 Because believe me, if we allow the system to work well,
19:15 it will be fast enough.
19:17 As I told you, the details we have now
19:20 of people who had applied for new service,
19:22 some of them never even came to the office.
19:24 You use these guru boys,
19:26 whose phone numbers are now within the ECG system.
19:29 So when you call them,
19:30 they don't even know whose meter
19:34 or which area you are going to install the new one.
19:36 So if you are home and you know you've paid
19:39 for an ECG meter through a guru boy,
19:42 you it's okay, you come and see us.
19:44 - All right.
19:46 - Because without you coming into the office now,
19:48 we cannot find you to give you the meter
19:51 and then it will give us a bad press.
19:53 So please, let's interface now with the company
19:57 so we can solve this problem now.
20:00 - Okay, that's an interesting bit.
20:01 You mentioned the app.
20:02 I just want to conclude the conversation
20:04 with you on that end.
20:06 Your app has a lot of problems.
20:08 So guess what?
20:09 I traveled, came into town yesterday
20:12 and I slept in darkness.
20:13 You know why?
20:14 Because a lot of the time recently
20:16 when I use your app to purchase electricity,
20:18 and I'm not just speaking for myself,
20:20 I've been to vending points and all of that.
20:21 To purchase electricity, it may not go through.
20:24 I use the cum strap prepaid meter.
20:27 I hear there are some changes,
20:29 whatever going on in the system.
20:30 It's so difficult, Mr. Mahama.
20:33 Using the, no, no, let me make my point
20:34 and then you'll come in.
20:36 I purchased credits yesterday, all right.
20:38 My money was taken.
20:40 I wasn't credited.
20:41 I tried because I got into town late
20:43 to get from a vending point.
20:45 The network was down.
20:46 It's happening a lot.
20:48 I couldn't iron this morning before coming on the show.
20:51 That's how bad it is.
20:53 Apps are supposed to make things easier.
20:55 Go ahead.
20:58 - Yeah, so my question is this.
20:59 Whenever they say a network is down,
21:02 do you ever find out whose network it is?
21:05 - Well, they tell us ECG's network is down.
21:07 - How does ECG network?
21:10 My brother, let's educate the public.
21:13 Let's use this to educate the public.
21:15 Does ECG have a network?
21:17 Does ECG have a network?
21:20 - What do you use?
21:21 What is your platform operating on?
21:22 - We use network service providers.
21:24 Somebody's providing us the service.
21:28 So if the network is down,
21:31 who's managing that network?
21:34 - Mr. Mahama, I'm struggling to understand you here.
21:36 You know why?
21:37 Because whatever network it may be that you have--
21:39 - You didn't let me land my point.
21:41 I left you to speak.
21:42 - Okay, go ahead.
21:43 - And you landed your point.
21:44 - Go ahead, go ahead.
21:45 - So now, if the onus of me
21:49 is to make sure that the system or the service
21:52 is working beyond a certain magnitude,
21:56 then I have to put in service level agreements in place.
22:00 Now, my main problem after taking office
22:03 is the fact that every service provider to ECG
22:05 doesn't have a service level agreement to PC.
22:08 I don't know how that happens.
22:09 So for all of these downtimes,
22:13 yes, we have to find a way to resolve it.
22:16 And we are trying to find a way to resolve it,
22:18 but we cannot hold these people accountable.
22:20 That is one measure that we are trying to resolve.
22:23 I'm very sorry for what you've experienced.
22:25 I am extremely sorry,
22:27 because you shouldn't have to go through that.
22:31 And then also on the other side,
22:32 your money is supposed to come back to you.
22:35 The app is not problematic,
22:37 because this app has been vetted by Apple,
22:40 has been vetted by Android,
22:41 and it gave me a four point five star rating.
22:44 So if we are to segment the problem,
22:47 you will clearly find where we have put the problem at.
22:52 And I can tell you for a fact that,
22:53 yes, it is still a problem.
22:55 But I am saying all of this
22:56 because I want you to appreciate where we've come from
23:00 and where we are trying to get to.
23:02 It's a work in progress.
23:04 I know we are not going to solve it overnight.
23:06 And I know we are running out of time
23:08 and patience with our customers,
23:10 some like yourself.
23:12 And the fact that you couldn't iron this morning,
23:14 it's very frustrating.
23:15 But in truth, where we are now,
23:18 we've been able to identify what our problems are.
23:22 Initially, we couldn't tell where or how our problems were.
23:27 - Mr. Muhammad, so let me just let you know this.
23:30 A lot of the time in house and outside,
23:33 we praise you for some of the changes
23:35 you've brought to bear in the ECG.
23:37 Okay?
23:38 So when we come on a platform like this,
23:40 it has nothing to do with,
23:41 but the problems that remain, we must address them.
23:44 So we praise you highly.
23:46 All the time, I'm saying this so that you know,
23:48 I have been one of those in here praising you.
23:50 But at the same time, when there are problems,
23:52 we must bring them up.
23:53 Not just because I went through it.
23:55 - Bro, you have to bash me.
23:56 Ask for the bash.
23:57 - So when you talk of a service level agreement,
24:00 yes, I understand.
24:02 You may not be the network provider,
24:03 but like you rightly mentioned,
24:06 if you don't have those things that will hold them down,
24:09 peg them down, because in the end,
24:11 in the end, we will not be concerned about
24:13 whether I don't want to mention any company's name,
24:16 but whether this network or that network
24:17 is providing you with service.
24:19 All we know is that ECG service must run.
24:21 And it is your duty to ensure that your provider
24:24 gives you the right access
24:25 and that we don't have to go through this.
24:26 I think that's the bottom line.
24:28 But Mr. Mahama, we are so grateful.
24:30 - And that's why I'm saying, once again,
24:33 I don't have any excuses.
24:35 What I did was to try to speak to you
24:38 so that you can have a fair idea of the problem
24:41 we are dealing with as management.
24:43 But in truth, there are certain things
24:45 that were done badly previously
24:48 that we are trying to correct now.
24:49 We are almost at the end.
24:51 And I thank you guys a lot for all of the support.
24:53 But in truth, I appreciate shows like this
24:57 and conversations like this,
24:58 because they keep us on our toes.
25:00 - Mr. Mahama, right, we're so grateful.
25:04 You've been so helpful this morning,
25:06 and we wish you the very best
25:07 as you root out all of these problems
25:09 and try to resolve them.
25:11 Mr. Samuel Dubik Mahama is Managing Director
25:14 of the Electricity Company of Ghana.
25:16 Let's support, like he said,
25:18 those of you who have also procured meters
25:20 through the wrong way.
25:21 He's saying, no ahala, come and let's remedy the situation
25:25 so that moving forward, you can actually do the right thing.
25:28 They will not arrest you or anything like that.
25:30 Mariada, Madam Mariada, you have the final word.
25:33 What is the way forward from where you sit?
25:35 - So before that, what I would want perhaps Samuel Dubik
25:42 to also reflect over is the fact that
25:47 when we put in place mechanisms
25:49 and the bureaucracy around them takes forever to
25:52 enhance or promote citizens' demand
25:58 and procurement of services,
26:01 then it also facilitates the cutting of connect.
26:05 It was actually indicated,
26:07 if you had any other avenue to procure,
26:09 you would have gone through that
26:11 because of the frustration.
26:13 And so they should pay attention to ensuring that
26:17 the services are so fluid
26:20 and they do not encase with some of these complaints
26:23 of network quality not being there.
26:26 Sometimes we do, for a fact that
26:29 sometimes in some of the instances,
26:32 people intentionally put in place these hurdles
26:34 to ensure that the services are delivered as should be.
26:39 Again, let's remember that it is not
26:45 the citizens' demand for quality services
26:50 from ECG or any other service provider.
26:53 It's a right.
26:56 And for that matter, should be treated with respect.
27:00 So if we keep people's applications for a year
27:05 without acquiring a visa,
27:06 then the person would become basically to the extent that
27:09 they are engaging in some behaviors
27:13 that are not acceptable.
27:14 And as we indicated, we should help ECG.
27:17 We are doing our part by picking the complaints
27:20 of citizens who are very angry at the system.
27:25 We, some of us, so we should,
27:27 they should as a matter of agency do that.
27:30 But then transparency would cure all the darkness.
27:34 Let's throw some sunlight into the process.
27:37 And then finally, for me,
27:40 I believe that when people are sanctioned
27:42 and these sanctions are punitive enough
27:45 at the administrative level,
27:47 then it serves as a deterrent for others
27:50 who would want to engage in such behavior.
27:53 We cannot afford to let people get away.
27:57 When they get away, we know for a fact that in this instance
28:00 some of the people were ECG staff.
28:03 Let's see them be sanctioned
28:05 and let these sanctions not just be done internally.
28:08 Let it be published out there for people to know
28:12 across Ghana, the left and right of this country,
28:15 that you cannot go,
28:16 when you engage in some of these behaviors.
28:21 When that is done,
28:22 I believe that people would begin to sit up.
28:26 And for Mr. Dubik himself,
28:28 I would say that in some jurisdictions
28:31 when things like this happen,
28:33 the head of the entity is also culpable
28:37 because at the end of the day,
28:38 they backstop with the leadership.
28:42 So he himself should sit up
28:44 because at the end of the day,
28:46 it is his leadership who comes into question.
28:48 Just like he is impugning
28:50 that some things were done wrongly
28:52 during some people's leadership.
28:55 In his leadership,
28:56 we would also call him to accountability
28:59 for some of these infractions.
29:01 - Marietta, we are so grateful
29:02 that you could join the conversation.
29:04 Thank you so much, madam.
29:05 Mary Awolana Adai is Executive Director
29:07 of Ghana Integrity Initiative.
29:08 She joined the conversation.
29:10 Now coming up next,
29:11 we have another crucial conversation.
29:13 Guess what?
29:14 About 17,000 are added on
29:17 in terms of those who acquire HIV every year.
29:22 And of that number,
29:24 we can also talk about 57% of those children under 14
29:28 who do not get antiretroviral treatment.
29:31 The numbers are burgeoning again,
29:34 but what is happening?
29:35 Well, we have a conversation up next
29:36 with the Ghana AIDS Commission
29:38 right here on the AM Show.
29:39 Stay tuned.
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