The minister for energy and green transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, has acknowledged that numerous transformers across the country are becoming obsolete and overstretched, a direct result of burgeoning demand coupled with years of sustained underinvestment.
During a press conference held at the Government Accountability Series on Monday, 27 April 2026, the minister highlighted that national energy requirements have more than doubled over recent years, necessitating a significant and immediate increase in sector investment.
Mr Jinapor explained that the current fragility of the infrastructure has manifested in frequent overloads, low voltage levels, and inconsistent supply.
“Over the past years, our demand has almost doubled. In fact, when you look at the record, it has more than doubled.”
He assured the public that the government is addressing these challenges “head-on” through the implementation of a comprehensive nationwide transformer replacement and upgrade programme.
As an immediate measure to stabilise the grid, the Ministry has overseen the installation of approximately 200 transformers this month alone.
The minister further detailed the scale of the ongoing intervention, stating that an additional 140 transformers are currently being deployed for installation.
This forms part of a broader strategic plan to commission 2,500 new units to bolster supply reliability and correct voltage fluctuations.
Regarding these technical improvements, Mr Jinapor noted that high-capacity transformers are being prioritised at critical supply stations, with installations at Adenta, Lashibi, and Teshie Nungua already completed.
While stressing that the government remains committed to investing in the energy sector, Mr Jinapor cautioned that the full restoration of the grid would require time.
In line with this long-term strategy, he announced that the Ghana Grid Company is scheduled to commence vital transmission reinforcement works this coming June.
The minister clarified that the timing of these works was intentionally set to follow the conclusion of the World Cup season to minimise public disruption, though distribution line upgrades in Kumasi are slated to begin as early as this week.
“The government is addressing this issue head-on by implementing a nationwide transformer replacement and upgrade programme. As an immediate intervention, this month alone, we have installed about 200 transformers across the country.”
“The plan is to deploy 2,500 new transformers to improve supply reliability and voltages. To improve these voltages, high-capacity transformers are being deployed at key supply stations, with Adenta, Lashibi, and Teshie Nungua already done.”
By: Rashid Obodai Provencal/Rainbowradioonline.com/Ghana
