The Centre for Environmental Management and Sustainable Energy (CEMSE) has criticised the government’s decision to ask the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo), Ing. Mark Awuah Baah, to step aside following the recent fire outbreak at the Akosombo Power Control Centre.
Ing. Mark Awuah Baah was directed to step aside on Sunday, April 26, pending investigations into the incident, which has disrupted the country’s electricity supply.
Speaking on Eyewitness News on Monday, April 27, Benjamin Nsiah, Executive Director of CEMSE, cautioned against what he described as a premature decision made in the midst of a crisis.
According to him, actions taken during such critical moments must be measured to avoid reinforcing political perceptions and divisions within the energy sector.
“In crisis management, we don’t take hasty decisions because such actions are often based on assumptions and perceptions. He is the CEO, and what happened occurred within a unit of GRIDCO, so there is collective responsibility.
“He ultimately takes responsibility, but not at a time when political and social media commentary is rife with partisan claims,” he said.
He warned that the timing of the directive could deepen divisions within the sector, as technical personnel may begin to align themselves along political lines.
“When you act at a time like this, it tends to confirm speculations that decisions are politically motivated. That creates division within the human resource structure in the energy sector, where people may feel the need to associate with particular political parties,” he added.
He maintained that while suspending the CEO may be justified, the timing of the decision was inappropriate.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Jinapor, has defended the directive, insisting it was necessary to ensure a fair and transparent investigation.
Speaking at the Government Accountability Series in Accra on Monday, April 27, 2026, the Minister said the move was aimed at allowing an impartial probe into the fire outbreak, which has significantly affected power transmission and led to outages in several parts of the country.
