President John Dramani Mahama continued engagements on the second and final day of his Resetting Agenda Tour of the Northern Region, with a strong focus on improving power stability and accelerating development projects.
As part of the day’s activities, the President inspected newly acquired transformers at the yard of the Northern Electricity Distribution Company (NEDCo) in Tamale, describing the exercise as one of several interventions aimed at addressing electricity challenges nationwide.
Speaking during the inspection, President Mahama traced Ghana’s electricity expansion back to the 1980s, noting that rapid population growth has placed increasing pressure on existing infrastructure.
“At the time we began the national electrification programme, Ghana’s population was about 18 to 19 million. Today, we are about 33 million, and our communities have expanded significantly,” he said.
He explained that many transformers currently in use have become inadequate due to this growth.
“Some of these transformers, like the one in Nungua, were installed over 20 years ago. Since then, the communities have expanded beyond their capacity, leading to unstable power supply,” he noted.
President Mahama acknowledged that the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) and NEDCo had not undertaken large-scale upgrades in recent years, contributing to persistent outages.
To address the situation, he announced that government has procured approximately 2,500 transformers for nationwide installation following Cabinet approval and support from the Finance Ministry.
“We are going to see more stable power after this first phase, and we will continue replacing old transformers to meet growing demand,” he assured.
Planned Outages, Not ‘Dumsor’
The President urged residents to remain patient during temporary outages, emphasizing that they are part of a planned improvement process.
“The outages we are facing are not dumsor. They are necessary to ensure better quality and stable power,” he explained.
He added that communities would be duly informed ahead of any interruptions required for installation works.
Local Production and Jobs
President Mahama also highlighted the role of local manufacturing in the initiative, noting that many of the transformers are produced in Ghana.
“These made-in-Ghana transformers help multiply the benefits for our economy,” he said, expressing hope that the country will eventually produce all its transformer needs locally.
Improving Customer Service
Beyond infrastructure, the President stressed the importance of efficient customer service within power distribution companies.
“We need a system where when customers call, there is a quick response to rectify faults,” he stated.
He revealed plans to establish modern call centres and employ young Ghanaians to improve response times and service delivery.
“After stabilizing power, we must also ensure better customer care and faster response systems,” he added.
Tour Nears Conclusion
The Northern Region leg of the tour concludes today, marking the end of a series of inspections and stakeholder engagements under President Mahama’s broader Resetting Agenda aimed at fast-tracking development across the country.
Story: Patrick Asford Boadu
