The Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, has defended his directive for the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), Ing. Mark Awuah Baah, to step aside as investigations begin into the recent fire outbreak at the Akosombo Power Control Centre.
The minister said the decision was necessary to ensure an impartial and transparent probe into the incident, which has severely disrupted power transmission and triggered outages across several parts of the country.
Speaking at the government’s Accountability Series on Monday, April 27, 2026, Mr. Jinapor explained that the directive followed his visit to the facility and a detailed briefing on the situation.
“I visited the site on Friday, and after receiving the briefing, I asked that he step aside pending the investigation. It is in his own interest,” he stated.
He rejected suggestions that the move was punitive, stressing instead that it was a procedural step aimed at protecting the integrity of the investigation, particularly in the face of circulating allegations and speculation.
“You just made reference to conspiracy theories and accusations. In fact, it helps him that when he steps aside and we conduct an impartial investigation, it is done without prejudice. This is not a normal leave,” he added.
The fire incident, which affected critical systems at the Akosombo installation, has been linked to ongoing instability in electricity supply nationwide, with many communities experiencing prolonged outages.
