President John Dramani Mahama has announced the procurement of 2,500 transformers for nationwide installation as part of efforts to stabilise electricity supply and address recurring power fluctuations.
According to the President, many of Ghana’s current power challenges are linked to aging infrastructure that has not kept pace with rapid population growth and expanding communities. He noted that when the National Electrification Programme was introduced in the 1980s, the country’s population stood at about 18 to 19 million, compared to more than 33 million today.
Speaking during an inspection of transformers at the Northern Electricity Distribution Company yard in Tamale, President Mahama said the surge in population has placed significant strain on existing transformers, many of which were installed decades ago and are now unable to meet current demand.
He cited Nungua as an example, where a transformer installed over two decades ago has become overstretched due to rapid urban expansion, resulting in unstable power supply.
The President further indicated that for several years, the Electricity Company of Ghana and NEDCo had not undertaken large-scale upgrades to replace aging infrastructure.
He revealed that Cabinet approved the procurement following a request by the Minister for Energy, with financial support from the Ministry of Finance.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, has announced that Accra and Kumasi will be the next priority areas under the government’s nationwide electricity upgrade programme.
Mr. Jinapor noted that the rollout of transformers and improvements to distribution systems are already underway in several parts of the country, with Tamale and other northern areas currently benefiting from the installations.
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