GRIDCo Seeks Parliamentary Backing for Power Infrastructure Expansion

The Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) is seeking closer collaboration with Parliament to strengthen the country’s power infrastructure and support Ghana’s industrialisation agenda, following a high-level engagement between its Board of Directors and Speaker of Parliament, Alban Bagbin.

 

The eight-member board paid a courtesy call on the Speaker as part of a broader stakeholder engagement programme aimed at strengthening institutional partnerships and advancing key energy sector priorities.

The meeting also served as an opportunity to formally introduce the new Board Chair, Kuukua Maurice Ankrah, and brief Parliament’s leadership on GRIDCo’s ongoing operations, challenges and future investment plans.

A major focus of the discussions was the resilience of Ghana’s electricity transmission network, particularly in the aftermath of the recent fire incident at the Akosombo substation.

GRIDCo’s Chief Executive, Ing. Frank Asirifi Otchere, disclosed that the company is undertaking restoration works while also pursuing plans to establish a permanent state-of-the-art control room to enhance operational reliability and strengthen emergency response capabilities.

He noted that beyond technical upgrades, GRIDCo continues to grapple with external threats to transmission infrastructure, including illegal chainsaw activities and illegal mining operations, which have increasingly affected transmission corridors across the country.

“For me, it was eye-opening listening to the Speaker share the history behind GRIDCo and the energy sector. It was clear he has been deeply involved from the beginning,” Ing. Otchere said.

“We believe this engagement will deepen collaboration with Parliament as we work to strengthen Ghana’s power infrastructure and support economic growth.”

He stressed that sustained investment in the energy sector remains critical to Ghana’s broader economic transformation agenda.

“Ghana’s economic growth is tied to reliable power supply. To grow the economy, we must continue investing in the energy sector,” he added.

Energy Security and Industrial Growth

Speaker Bagbin underscored the strategic role of energy security in supporting economic stability, industrial expansion and job creation.

He urged GRIDCo to position itself to meet rising electricity demand as government intensifies efforts to industrialise the economy.

The Speaker further encouraged the company to expand public education on energy efficiency and responsible electricity consumption while exploring innovative approaches to recapitalisation and infrastructure development.

His comments come at a time when Ghana is seeking to attract greater investment into manufacturing, mining, agro-processing and other energy-intensive sectors that require reliable electricity supply.

The discussions also touched on emerging opportunities in renewable energy development.

Mr. Bagbin disclosed that Parliament is exploring initiatives in solar energy deployment and welcomed technical collaboration from GRIDCo to support those efforts.

Call for Greater Female Representation

Board Chair Kuukua Maurice Ankrah pointed to the expertise assembled on the current board and praised management’s response to the Akosombo incident as evidence of GRIDCo’s technical competence and institutional resilience.

She, however, used the occasion to advocate for greater female representation in leadership positions across the energy sector.

“We the board are positioned to lead management in the transformation of GRIDCo. The recent fire outbreak and our swift and efficient response is testament to what is achievable with the right support,” she said.

“I strongly believe that with greater female representation in leadership positions across various sectors of the economy, Ghana’s progress is more than guaranteed.”

She noted that she is currently the only female board chair among agencies and institutions under the Ministry of Energy and called for stronger implementation of the country’s Affirmative Action and Gender Equity framework.

Speaker Bagbin echoed those sentiments and urged institutions to accelerate efforts to improve women’s participation in leadership and decision-making roles.

Strengthening the National Grid

The engagement reflects growing attention on the resilience and future readiness of Ghana’s electricity transmission network as policymakers seek to secure stable power supply for households and businesses.

GRIDCo plays a critical role in transmitting electricity across the country and facilitating cross-border power trade within the West African sub-region.

As Ghana pursues ambitious industrialisation and infrastructure development programmes, the reliability of the national grid is increasingly viewed as a key enabler of economic growth, investment attraction and long-term competitiveness.