The 330kV Kumasi-Bolgatanga Transmission Line Project has been formally commissioned by His Excellency, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo at a ceremony at the Anwomaso Sub-Station in the Ashanti Region. The event, held at Anwomaso in the Ashanti region was part of the President’s four (4) day visit to the Ashanti Region, which ended on Wednesday 20th October, 2022.

In the company of the President were Ashanti Regional Minister, Samuel Osei-Mensah; Energy Minister, Dr. Mathew Opoku-Prempeh, as well as the Chargé d’Affaires A.I. Raphaël Malara and project financiers of Agence Française de Développement (AFD) represented by the Country Director Christophe Cottet.

This multifaceted project was carried out in 4 lots and spanned 5 years from 2016 to 2021 and has reinforced the national GRID and guaranteed improved stable supply to the country’s middle belt and northern sector. It also strengthens GRIDCo’s ability to export power to the electricity company in Burkina Faso called Sonabel.

GRIDCo Board Chairman, Amb. Kabral Blay-Amihere lauded the project team, engineering consultants and contractors for a yeoman’s job. To the President, Amb. Blay-Amihere said,

In the cycle of conception, planning and execution of GRIDCo’s infrastructure, such as the 330 kV Kumasi-Bolgatanga Transmission Project, we often reach critical and defining moments, which we did sometime in 2018. I wish to place on record that [at a critical] point, it took the personal and direct intervention of President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo for us to overcome the challenges that confronted us. That single act led to the completion of the project. Mr. President we are very grateful.

The Project was funded via a 174 million Dollar facility, and a European Union grant of 5 million Euros dedicated to Project Management and Supervision. On his part, Raphaël Malara, Chargé d’Affaires A.I. described the completion and commissioning of the event as a new important step in the partnership between Ghana and France. He said,

France is proud and honoured to have been able to participate in strengthening Ghana’s infrastructure, which is essential to the well-being of Ghanaians and to the economic development of the country.

President Akufo-Addo commended GRIDCo for implementing projects that not only improve the quality of life, but ventures that are in alignment with the Government’s energy policy and development agenda to improve access to electricity and facilitate operations of commercial businesses.

Also joining the event were traditional authorities, such as the Chief and Queen Mother of Anwomaso, to whom GRIDCo expressed appreciation for their role in clearing the route of the transmission lines to enable the completion of the project.

Members of the Kumasi Area team joined the commissioning event, led by Ing. Bismark Oppong-Anane, Network Maintenance Manager currently Ag. Director Network Services Department (NND) and Ing. Peter Acquah, Kumasi Area Manager.

The president unveiled a plaque and signed the visitors’ book at the Anwomaso Substation, where the event was held