Energy Minister John Abdulai Jinapor has ordered the Acting Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Grid Company Limited, Ing. Mark Awuah Baah, to step aside while authorities probe the fire that crippled operations at the Akosombo Power Control Centre.
The move comes in the wake of a significant blaze at the facility, a vital hub in Ghana’s electricity transmission network. The incident forced an emergency shutdown, with engineers isolating parts of the grid to contain the damage, triggering outages and unstable power supply across multiple regions.
Preliminary assessments indicate the fire struck earlier in the week and destroyed critical control systems. Officials estimate that between 720 and 1,000 megawatts of transmission capacity tied to the Akosombo installation were lost, worsening an already strained power situation for homes and businesses nationwide.
Mr Jinapor’s directive is aimed at clearing the way for a thorough and independent inquiry into what caused the fire and how severely the infrastructure has been affected.
At the same time, government has initiated changes within the Electricity Company of Ghana’s Ashanti Region operations. Spokesperson Felix Kwakye Ofosu confirmed the shake-up, linking it to ongoing complaints about unreliable electricity supply in the area.
The latest disruptions have unfolded alongside ongoing grid upgrade works designed to improve capacity and stability. However, officials concede the fire has significantly deepened existing challenges in the sector.
Engineers are currently working around the clock to restore the damaged systems at Akosombo, but the Ministry says it may take several days before normal transmission levels are fully re-established.
Mr Jinapor is expected to address the situation in detail at a press briefing scheduled for 2:00 p.m. on Monday, where he will outline the government’s response and measures to reinforce the resilience of the national grid.
Authorities insist efforts are underway to stabilise electricity supply and tackle the structural issues affecting power distribution across the country.
