GRIDCO: Jinapor sets up committee to probe Akosombo substation fire

The Ministry of Energy and Green Transition has set up a seven-member committee to investigate the fire outbreak that gutted the GRIDCo substation at Akosombo on Thursday, April 23.

The committee, to be chaired by William Amuna, Board Chairman of the Electricity Company of Ghana and a former Chief Executive of GRIDCo, is expected to present its findings within two to three weeks.

The Sector Minister, John Abdulai Jinapor, disclosed this to journalists after visiting the affected site on Friday, April 24.

According to Jinapor, the National Security, the Ghana National Fire Service, and other relevant agencies are also encouraged to conduct parallel investigations.

He said the committee will comprise experts to ensure a thorough probe into the incident and determine its root cause.

“It’s a situation that we need to get to the bottom of. And so immediately, the ministry is setting up a seven-member committee, which will be chaired by Engineer Amuna himself, who was the Chief Executive of GRIDCo.

“He is also the board chair of the Electricity Company of Ghana. We’re going to get experts to serve on that committee from the fire service, National Security, from the Energy Commission, and other institutions that would help us to conduct a detailed investigation.

“I think that within two weeks to three weeks, they should be ready with a report so that we can get to the root cause of this challenge and all the other issues surrounding this very, very unfortunate incident. The immediate focus is restoration of power.

He added, “So whatever we can do, whatever the ministry and its agencies can do to ensure that we restore power quickly, that is the main focus without prejudicing the investigation. And the team of the committee we’ve set does not preclude the National Security and Fire Service and any other institution from carrying out a parallel investigation.”

John Jinapor also directed that a comprehensive overhaul and audit of all energy installations begin on Monday, April 27, 2026, to assess the country's operational readiness.

“As Minister, I’ve also directed that from Monday, April 27, we conduct a total overhaul and audit of all our energy installations to test our readiness again, even though periodically we conduct this exercise. We think that this situation calls for urgent action to take a second,” he said.

---CitiNewsRoom