BY Issah Olegor
Tensions within the energy sector have escalated following a directive for the Chief Executive Officer of Ghana Grid Company Limited Mark Awuah Baah to step aside, as investigations begin into the recent fire outbreak at the Akosombo power control centre that triggered widespread power outages across the country.
The decision, taken by the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, comes in the wake of renewed “dumsor” concerns that have affected multiple regions.
The move is aimed at ensuring transparency and accountability as authorities probe the cause of the incident and assess its full impact on the power transmission system.
The fire, which occurred at the Akosombo substation on Thursday, disrupted operations within the national grid, leading to instability in electricity supply.
As the institution responsible for transmitting power from generation sources such as the Volta River Authority and Independent Power Producers to distribution companies, GRIDCo plays a central role in maintaining nationwide electricity stability.
At the centre of the development is Ing. Mark Awuah Baah, the Acting Chief Executive of GRIDCo, who assumed office around mid-2025. With over 28 years of experience in the power sector, he previously served as Director of System Operations and Director of Corporate Strategy, and was instrumental in the company’s operational development following its establishment in 2008.
His stepping aside marks a significant moment in the ongoing attempts to address systemic challenges within the sector.
The directive forms part of broader efforts by the National Democratic Congress government to respond to growing public concern over erratic power supply, which has once again become a national issue after months of intermittent outages across the country.
In a related development, the Electricity Company of Ghana has also undergone a major leadership shake-up in the Ashanti Region.
The changes are expected to improve operational efficiency within the power distribution chain, particularly in one of the country’s key electricity consumption hubs.
Reports further indicate that some ECG engineers in the region are set to be transferred outside their current operational zones as part of a targeted restructuring exercise.
The developments were confirmed by the Minister for Government Communications, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, who disclosed that a comprehensive briefing would be held by the Energy Minister to outline recent developments in electricity distribution and ongoing reforms.
The Ashanti Regional chairman of the governing NDC, Augustus Nana Kwesi Andrews had call for the dismissal of all the ECG engineers in the region for allegedly plunging the region into darkness.
