The Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) has appointed Ing. Frank Asirifi Otchere as Chief Executive Officer, effective May 8, 2026, in a leadership reshuffle following disruptions to the country’s power transmission system.
In a circular issued by the Board, Ing. Samuel Nkansah was confirmed as Deputy Chief Executive (Finance & Resources), while Ing. Samed Abdul Ibrahim, formerly Director of the Project Implementation Unit, was appointed Acting Deputy Chief Executive (Engineering & Operations).
The Board said staff were expected to cooperate fully with the new leadership to ensure effective execution of GRIDCo’s mandate.
The changes follow a fire outbreak at the Akosombo Power Control Centre in April 2026 that disrupted electricity transmission and triggered a nationwide review of energy infrastructure.
Following the incident, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, directed the Acting Chief Executive of GRIDCo, Ing. Mark Awuah Baah, to step aside pending investigations. The directive was announced on April 26, 2026, by the Minister for Information, Felix Kwakye Ofosu, via social media.
The fire, which occurred on April 23, 2026, resulted in the loss of an estimated 720 megawatts to nearly 1,000 megawatts from the national grid, forcing a temporary suspension of electricity exports and contributing to widespread supply disruptions, including in parts of the Electricity Company of Ghana’s distribution network in the Ashanti Region.
GRIDCo’s Board circular said the new appointments take effect immediately.
The former Acting Chief Executive was asked to step aside pending investigations into the cause and impact of the fire, which authorities said was intended to allow for independent inquiries.
The development has also raised questions over the contractual and financial implications of such directives in the public sector, particularly in cases where an executive is asked to step aside but not formally dismissed for cause, and whether the state continues to honour the remaining value of the contract under such arrangements.
