A joint task force led by the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Hon. Linda Obenewaa Akweley Ocloo with support from the Mayor of Accra, Hon. Michael Kpakpo Allotey and the Municipal Chief Executive (MCE) for Ablekuma Central, Hon. Frank Nkansah  has closed down NN Est Metal Company Ltd.  and BlancoMet Recycling for allegedly buying stolen Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) cables and other electrical equipment from scrap dealers.

The two recycling firms were locked up on Tuesday during an enforcement and monitoring operation that took the Regional Minister and his team to the Old Onion Market, Agbogbloshie, and selected recycling yards as part of a renewed drive to sanitise the enclave and clamp down on criminal networks feeding on public infrastructure.

Speaking in an interview after the operation, the Regional Minister said the visit formed part of efforts to enforce earlier directives at Agbogbloshie, which she noted had been declared toxic and unsafe for human habitation.

She explained that officials acted on intelligence that stolen streetlight cables and other ECG equipment, including meters, transformers and high-tension materials, were being sold through scrap markets and channelled to specific yards for the copper to be traded.

According to her, preliminary checks during the operation revealed quantities of “fresh” electrical cables and other equipment on site, including items typically found in warehouses, which reinforced suspicions that stolen public assets were being traded through the yards.

She consequently directed that the facilities be shut temporarily to allow investigations to proceed, adding that security personnel were deployed to secure the premises while relevant agencies were notified to take over the next steps.

During interactions at the site, concerns were raised about the difficulty in visually distinguishing stolen cables from legitimate scrap, prompting calls for the Ministry of Energy and Green Transition and relevant state agencies to establish a monitoring system that would enable proper inspection and verification before such materials were purchased.

The Regional Minister indicated that the matter would be escalated through the regional security structure and that surveillance would be intensified to trace the sources of cables brought to the yards, warning that any company found culpable would face closure and sanctions under the law.

The Mayor of Accra said the Accra Metropolitan Assembly would support security agencies to trace the supply chain behind stolen public infrastructure and strengthen monitoring of streetlight installations and other city assets, stressing that the theft and resale of ECG equipment undermined public safety and wasted public investment.

He said the Assembly would continue working with the GARCC, National Security, and sector agencies to ensure compliance at scrap and recycling sites and to restore order at Agbogbloshie ahead of the planned decongestion exercise.

 The Ablekuma Central MCE  announced that the decongestion exercise was scheduled for February 24 to February 27, 2026, after earlier rounds of public education and announcements, and would be carried out in collaboration with local government authorities and the GARCC.

The Managing Director of NN est Metal,  Mr. Mahmoud el Kurdi denied accusations that the company knowingly bought stolen ECG cables, insisting the firm had historically cooperated with state investigations and remained ready to collaborate with government agencies.

He maintained that allegations could be made by anyone, but said the company rejected claims that it was complicit in cable theft, adding that it was willing to show officials the categories of scrap the company purchased and support any lawful verification process.