Akosombo Fire: Energy Minister directs GRIDCo CEO to step aside

The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, has directed the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Grid Company Limited to step aside pending investigations into the fire outbreak at the Akosombo Power Control Centre.

The directive forms part of a series of immediate interventions announced by the government following the incident, which disrupted power supply to parts of the country and raised concerns over operational safety and management within Ghana’s electricity transmission system.

Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, disclosed the development in a statement posted on his official Facebook page, stating that the Energy Minister had asked the GRIDCo CEO to “step aside pending investigations into the fire incident at the Akosombo power control centre.”

He further revealed that “there has been a major shake-up in the leadership of the Electricity Company of Ghana in the Ashanti Region,” indicating wider administrative changes within the power distribution sector.

According to the statement, the Energy Minister will hold “a major briefing on recent developments in electricity distribution” at 2:00 p.m. on Sunday to provide updates on the incident and the government’s response.

The move follows a major fire outbreak at the Akosombo Substation in the Eastern Region, which Ghana Grid Company Limited confirmed in a statement earlier this week.

GRIDCo said the fire occurred at about 2:01 p.m. on April 23, affecting operations at the substation and causing disruptions in electricity transmission across sections of the country.

Emergency response teams were immediately deployed to contain the blaze, while technical teams commenced an assessment of the damage and restoration works.

The company said engineers were prioritising system stabilisation to minimise further disruptions and restore supply as quickly as possible.

The Akosombo Substation is regarded as one of the most critical transmission points in Ghana’s national electricity grid, connecting power generated by key institutions such as the Volta River Authority to distribution companies and major consumers nationwide.

Its strategic role means any operational interruption can have widespread implications for electricity supply, particularly in areas dependent on the eastern transmission corridor.

With investigations underway, attention is now focused on the cause of the fire, the extent of infrastructure damage, and the reforms the government may introduce to strengthen operational efficiency and accountability in the energy sector.