It was a very lively session, when the Chief Executive and his team touched down in the Akosombo Area for its annual series of GRIDCo Area Tours at the start of the year. For two hours, Akosombo Area staff put forward issues of pertinence, such as staffing, resources and rewards, which require attention for the smooth operations of the Company.
The Akosombo Area Manager, Ing. Job Aziaku moderated the engagement, and the highlight was his update on an in-house project undertaken on the Asiekpe Substation, which is 95% complete. The substation work involved the installation of a new transformer dedicated to supply Sogakope load through the 69kV Asiekpe-Sogakope Transmission Line. This project was executed with internal technical and engineering expertise by staff in the Akosombo Area.
Chief Executive Ing. Ebenezer Kofi Essienyi, commended the Akosombo Area saying, “This is what we expect from each other. There is internal capability, and a lot we can do ourselves without relying on external expertise. You have done very well! Inform me, when you are ready to commission the project so, the Management team can be a part of it”.
Ms. Florence Ofei-Badu, Assistant Chief Technician Engineer, raised concerns about Right of Way (RoW) challenges. CE advised, “Let’s be observant and alert the Lands Section, whenever we notice the operations of encroachers on our RoW. This is because, where our lands are positioned are now prime lands, and are, therefore, at risk since the problem is no more restricted to just the big cities of Accra and Kumasi, but now everywhere GRIDCo operates”. Importantly, CE indicated that, it is a critical issue, which Management continues to address with stakeholders, such as the Assemblies and the Security Agencies.
Just as most staff, who seek the advancement of the Company; by sharing brilliant ideas, Mr. Johnson Kwame Ilupeju, Assistant Chief Technician Engineer (Line Maintenance Supervisor) advocated the setting up of a visual training medium, where video content of technical work, such as transformer installation or substation refurbishment can be placed for the training of technical staff.
After a year of teething challenges with the Enterprise Resource Planning (ERP), many in the Akosombo Area, indicated their satisfaction with the software, as it facilitates their work.
