The Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) Limited has restarted two important projects in Kumasi. These projects aim to improve the supply of steady and good quality electricity for people in the region. Mr. Kwame Kpekpena, the Managing Director of ECG, announced this. The halted projects include building a power link from Anwomaso Bulk Supply Point to Kaase. Another project is a link from Ridge Bulk Supply Point to Neoplan Primary Substation and then to Barekese. Mr. Kpekpena spoke about these after a visit with ECG officials to the Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene. The visit was to update the minister on current power system upgrades in the Ashanti region. ECG is working on these to make power supply better.
Mr. Kpekpena explained that these projects restarted because of problems with power supply in the region. He mentioned that the substations and power lines had limits on how much power they could handle. These limits led to frequent power outages, meaning electricity sometimes went off unexpectedly. They also caused low voltage, which meant power was weak. The Anwomaso BSP to Kaase project was supposed to finish in 2023. It is meant to bring power directly from the BSP to the city centre. The Ridge BSP to Barekese project will supply the Barekese Dam with reliable power. This will help the dam treat water constantly for the region's residents.
However, these projects stopped because there was no money. Mr. Kpekpena stated that they started projects that were due for completion long ago. They stalled due to a lack of available funds. The government has now provided the necessary money. Additionally, ECG allocates three percent of its collected revenue to finish its projects. This comes from the Cash Waterfall system. The managing director assured that the Anwomaso BSP to Kaase project will be finished in six to eight weeks. This news brings relief to businesses and households in Kumasi that have faced unstable power.
Beyond the stalled projects, ECG is also replacing the Ridge BSP transformer. It has been handling too much power. ECG plans to install new, larger transformers by the end of May. They will also replace the entire switchboard at Ridge BSP. To speed things up, ECG will import key parts like switchgear. This will increase the capacity while the main work is done. ECG believes these projects will make their power systems stronger. They expect this to lead to more stable electricity for everyone in the Ashanti region. The Ashanti Regional Minister, Dr. Frank Amoakohene, praised ECG's work. He asked ECG to share information about their projects with the public. This will help clear up any false stories about the company's intentions regarding government performance. ECG's commitment to stable power infrastructure is a key factor in the region's economic development.