The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, has directed the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Grid Company Limited, Ing. Mark Awuah Baah, to step aside pending a full investigation into the recent fire outbreak at the Akosombo Power Control Centre.
The directive follows a major incident that disrupted electricity supply across parts of the country, sparking public concern over the stability of Ghana’s power infrastructure.
In a related development, there has also been a significant leadership shake-up within the Ashanti Regional branch of the Electricity Company of Ghana.
The changes were confirmed by the Minister of Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, in a Facebook post on Sunday, April 26.
The latest developments come just days after widespread power outages were reported in several parts of the country.
While some of the disruptions had been attributed to ongoing system upgrades aimed at improving power stability, the fire incident has intensified concerns.
According to GRIDCo, the fire broke out on Thursday, April 23, at approximately 2:01 p.m., affecting part of the Akosombo substation switchyard.
The incident triggered emergency shutdowns, forcing engineers to isolate sections of the national grid to prevent further damage.
The blaze is estimated to have knocked out between 720 and 1,000 megawatts of transmission capacity, significantly impacting power supply from the Akosombo Dam—one of the country’s most critical electricity generation sources.
The Ministry of Energy and Green Transition has indicated that full restoration of power generation could take up to five days, as engineers work to stabilise the system and restore normal operations.
Amid the ongoing situation, Minister Jinapor has announced plans to address the nation in a press briefing scheduled for 2:00 PM on Monday, April 27.
The briefing is expected to provide updates on the Akosombo fire, ongoing recovery efforts, and recent leadership changes within GRIDCo and ECG.
GRIDCo plays a central role in Ghana’s energy sector, managing the National Interconnected Transmission System (NITS) and ensuring the transmission of electricity from generation sources to distribution companies and major consumers.
Ing. Mark Awuah Baah, who has served as acting CEO since February 2025, brings over 28 years of experience in the power sector.
However, the current investigation is expected to determine the circumstances surrounding the incident and guide any further administrative or operational decisions.
As authorities work to restore full power and investigate the cause of the fire, the developments highlight ongoing challenges within Ghana’s electricity sector and the urgent need to strengthen infrastructure resilience.
