Two (2) months after winning the 2025 Safety Quiz Championship, Mr. Nelson Kwame Adade still describes the feeling as amazing and a happy one! This keenly contested competition with nineteen (19) participants, three (3) rounds of six (6) broad tested areas saw Nelson emerge the overall best. Asked whether he knew he was going to emerge as champion; he disclosed that he was hoping to be among the top five (5). It was, therefore, all excitement and joy when he was crowned with the coveted title of the “2025 Safety Quiz Champion”!

Nelson’s journey to the championship did not happen by chance. “I have been fully involved in the Safety Quiz Competition for the past five (5) years” he says. He served as back-up participant for Kumasi Operational Area’s main participants when the quiz was hosted by the Kumasi and Bolga Areas. That meant that he had to study with the main participants to prepare for the contests. The past three (3) years have however, seen Nelson as the main participant for the Kumasi Area.

The journey of Mr. Adade and the Safety Quiz Competition is a story of persistence. During Nelson’s first participation in the 2023 edition in Takoradi, he exited the contest after the 2nd round. In 2024 at the Sunyani Contest, round one was the ‘end of the road’ for Nelson. But the Kumasi Area believed in Nelson and nominated him again in 2025, with the result being his first win now.

Nelson disclosed that preparing for the contest was not easy. “Combining work with studying for the quiz was difficult,” he noted. He however appreciates how the whole Area rallied together to give him all the necessary support. He is especially grateful to his supervisor, Mr. Gabriel Wiafe, who through his superiors, gave him days off to prepare for the contest. “I had a lot of support from Patrick Ehoneah, Electrical Maintenance; Robert Baidoo, P & C Section; Kennedy Appiah (Opete), Operating Section and John Quaye, Line Maintenance Section” he said. “I do not have the right words to describe how grateful I am to these friends. They encouraged me a lot” Adade added.

In a special message to the Kumasi Operational Area, he thanked all for believing in him and encouraging him to participate in the contest for the third time. ‘Winning the Championship has opened another chapter in my life. He happily noted that on the day of the Safety Durbar, one of the Directors referred to him as ‘Champion’ and congratulated him for the good work done. “That, and other engagements after the quiz, meant a lot to me, making me very happy” Nelson said joyfully.

Mr. Nelson Kwame Adade’s proudest moment came, when the Ag, DCE, Engineering and Operations, Ing. Frank Otchere, representing the Ag. Chief Executive, presented the trophy for the Competition to him, on Friday, 21st November 2025 in Kumasi during the Corporate Safety and Awards Durbar.

Asked whether he has any plans to defend the Championship, Nelson confidently responded that he would do so whenever he is called upon.

His advice to all staff is to ‘take safety seriously’. He stressed that Safety is every individual’s personal responsibility. And for that reason, we must adhere to every safety protocol and act and work safely. Doing this will ensure the Company, keeps recording ‘Zero Accident’ years, he emphasised.

Nelson loves soccer to the extent that, if he is not found on the field playing, he will be found in the goal post making sure no ball enters the net.

Congratulations, once again to Mr. Nelson Kwame Adade for winning the 2025 Safety Quiz Competition. Enjoy your Bragging Right!

Keep supporting the Kumasi Area Line Maintenance Section and the Northern Sector Football Team.

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Nelson Kwame Adade is an Assistant Maintenance II with the Kumasi Operational Area Line Maintenance Team, Northern Network Department (NND). Prior to joining the Line Maintenance Team, he worked with the NND Operating Section. During his years with the Operating Section, he manned the Konongo, Anwomaso 161kV and Anwomaso 330kV substations. Nelson has worked for GRIDCo for eight (8) years. He is a very safety conscious staff, because his mantra is, “Practicing safety ensures that one always returns home safely to one’s family after a hard day’s work.”