Workers of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) in the Ashanti Region are demanding the immediate reversal of the transfers of two senior managers, describing the decision as politically motivated rather than performance-based.
The Senior and Junior Staff Unions in the region insist that the transfers are unlawful and have formally petitioned their national leadership for intervention.
The demand follows a resolution reached at an emergency meeting held on April 14, 2026, which was addressed to the national executives of the workers’ union for onward submission to the national secretariat of the Public Utility Workers’ Union (PUWU).
According to the unions, the transfers of the General Manager for Ashanti Sub-Transmission, Ing. Peter Kofi Fletcher, and the General Manager for Ashanti East, Ing. Daniel Mensah Asare, were influenced by recent public comments attributed to the Ashanti Regional Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), Nana Kwasi Andrews. The chairman had reportedly accused engineers in the region of being “political saboteurs” planted by the previous administration.
Union leaders rejected the sabotage claims, describing them as baseless. They further argued that the decision to transfer the managers falls outside the authority of the Energy Ministry.
In a confidential resolution sighted by Myjoyonline.com, the unions attributed the recent power outages in the region to long-standing infrastructure challenges rather than any acts of sabotage. They blamed systemic failures to upgrade ageing and overloaded power infrastructure, warning that the region’s power network is being stretched beyond safe operational limits.
Citing heavy overloading of transformers, the workers indicated that the current electricity demand in the Ashanti Region far exceeds the installed capacity of all three Bulk Supply Points (BSPs) at Ridge and Anwomaso.
They noted that the Ridge Bulk Supply Point is operating close to its maximum capacity, with some units reportedly reaching 99.2 per cent loading. Under ECG’s standard operating procedures, a transformer operating at 70 per cent capacity is already considered fully loaded.
The unions also highlighted the rapid growth of the Ashanti Region’s population, which reached 5,440,463 between 2010 and 2021, according to the 2021 Population and Housing Census. They argued that the region urgently requires a fourth Bulk Supply Point to stabilise power distribution and meet increasing demand.
Several key infrastructure projects meant to strengthen the network have reportedly stalled, further worsening the situation.
In addition to infrastructure gaps, the unions raised concerns about shortages of essential operational materials, including 33kV distribution transformers, underground cables, vehicle tyres, engine oil and even printer toner required for billing operations.
The resolution further indicated that several critical projects aimed at boosting network capacity—including upgrades to the Adoato-Barekese, KNUST-Kaase and Ridge-Kaase substations—remain incomplete.
As a result of the strained infrastructure, residents in peripheral communities such as Bekwai, Asante Mampong and Offinso continue to experience persistent low voltage due to overloaded cables.
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Source: www.myjoyonline.com
