By Edward Dankwah
Accra, June 15, GNA – The Board of the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) has called on the Speaker of Parliament, Mr Alban Bagbin, to strengthen collaboration between the Legislature and the power transmission company to advance Ghana’s energy infrastructure and industrialisation agenda.
The eight-member Board paid a courtesy call on the Speaker in Accra to brief him on developments within the company and formally introduce its Chairperson, Mrs Kuukua Maurice Ankrah.
The visit forms part of the Board’s stakeholder engagement programme following its inauguration in August 2025.
Speaking during the meeting, Mr Frank Asirifi Otchere, Chief Executive Officer of GRIDCo, outlined ongoing restoration works following the recent fire incident at Akosombo and announced plans to establish a permanent state-of-the-art control room to enhance operational resilience.
He also highlighted challenges confronting the company, including the effects of illegal chainsaw operations and illegal mining activities on transmission infrastructure.
Mr Otchere said the engagement with the Speaker had been insightful, particularly his account of the history and evolution of GRIDCo and Ghana’s energy sector.
“For me, it was eye-opening listening to the Speaker sharing the history behind GRIDCo and the energy sector. It was clear that he has been deeply involved from the beginning,” he said.
The Chief Executive expressed optimism that the discussions would deepen collaboration with Parliament as GRIDCo worked to strengthen the country’s electricity transmission network and support economic growth.
Touching on energy financing and tariff issues, Mr Otchere underscored the need for sustained investment in the power sector to drive industrialisation and long-term economic transformation.
“Ghana’s economic growth is tied to reliable power supply. To grow the economy, we must continue investing in the energy sector,” he said.
Mrs Ankrah, Board Chair of GRIDCo, said the current Board possessed the expertise and experience needed to support management in transforming the company.
She said the swift response to the Akosombo fire incident demonstrated the technical capacity within GRIDCo and what could be achieved with the necessary support.
Mrs Ankrah also advocated greater female representation in leadership positions, noting that she was currently the only woman serving as Board Chair among agencies and institutions under the Ministry of Energy.
“We need to improve upon that because greater female participation in leadership across various sectors will contribute significantly to Ghana’s progress,” she said.
Mr Bagbin, in his remarks, stressed the importance of energy security to Ghana’s economic stability and industrial ambitions, urging GRIDCo to position itself to meet increasing electricity demand.
He encouraged the company to intensify public education on energy efficiency and explore ways of leveraging its assets to support recapitalisation and infrastructure expansion.
The Speaker called for stronger implementation of the Affirmative Action and Gender Equity framework to enhance women’s participation in leadership and disclosed that Parliament was exploring opportunities in solar energy deployment, for which GRIDCo’s technical expertise would be valuable.
The engagement comes at a time of increasing focus on the resilience of Ghana’s power infrastructure as policymakers and industry players seek to ensure stable electricity supply to support industrial growth, attract investment and sustain economic activity.
GNA
Edited by Linda Asante Agyei