By Celestine Avi and Seth Eyiah
President John Mahama says government is taking decisive steps to stabilize electricity supply across the country, with the rollout of 2,500 new transformers to meet growing demand. Speaking during an inspection at the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo), he noted that rapid population growth and expanding communities have outpaced existing power infrastructure, leading to unstable supply in many areas.
President Mahama explained that Ghana’s electrification drive, which began in the 1980s when the population stood at about 18 to 19 million, now faces new pressures with the population exceeding 33 million. According to him, many transformers installed decades ago, such as one in Nungua that has been in use for over 20 years, can no longer support the increased demand due to rapid urban expansion.
He pointed out that for years, there has been no large-scale replacement of outdated transformers by power distributors, contributing to persistent fluctuations in electricity supply. To address this gap, government, with support from the Finance Ministry, has procured 2,500 transformers for nationwide installation as part of a phased upgrade.
The President assured that once installed, the new transformers will significantly improve power stability, with plans to continuously replace aging equipment across the country. He clarified that the current outages being experienced are not “dumsor,” but necessary interruptions to allow for upgrades that will ensure better and more reliable electricity supply.
President Mahama further assured that affected communities will be duly informed ahead of any temporary shutdowns during installation works.
He also highlighted that many of the transformers are locally manufactured, a move he says will boost Ghana’s economy and support local industry.
Looking ahead, the President underscored the need to improve customer service within the power sector. He proposed the establishment of efficient call centres staffed by young Ghanaians to ensure quick response to faults and complaints, stressing that improved customer care must complement efforts to stabilize power supply.
One Response
I wonder how they’re planning to distribute the transformers efficiently. Sounds like a big project.