The Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) has announced the full restoration of power supply to all areas affected by a system disturbance that occurred on Thursday, August 20, 2026.

In a press statement issued by its Corporate Communications Section on Friday, August 21, GRIDCo said the restoration exercise began immediately after the disturbance, with its engineers and technical teams across the power sector working to return electricity supply to affected communities.

According to the company, power had been fully restored to all affected areas by 12:03 p.m.

GRIDCo said the swift restoration followed the coordinated efforts of its engineers and other technical teams who worked diligently to stabilise the system and reconnect affected areas.

The company expressed appreciation to stakeholders for their cooperation and support throughout the restoration process, as well as to members of the public for their patience and understanding.

“GRIDCo will continue to implement measures to strengthen the reliability, stability, and resilience of the transmission network,” the company said.

The latest update comes after the system disturbance disrupted power supply in parts of the country on Thursday.

GRIDCo, which was incorporated in December 2006, is responsible for the economic dispatch and transmission of electricity from wholesale suppliers, including Independent Power Producers (IPPs), to bulk customers and distribution utilities in Ghana and West Africa.

The company became operational on August 1, 2008, following the transfer of the Transmission System Department and its core staff from the Volta River Authority (VRA) to GRIDCo.

GRIDCo operates Ghana’s National Interconnected Transmission System (NITS) and currently transmits electricity to 33 bulk customers and distribution utilities from 11 wholesale suppliers, including the Volta River Authority.

The company has assured the public that efforts will continue to improve the reliability, stability and resilience of the country’s electricity transmission network.

UPDATE – GRIDCo PRESS RELEASE POWER RESTORATION UPDATE_21Aug26

The Savannah Regional Police Command, working with the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit and the Police Intelligence Directorate, has arrested a 28-year-old man in connection with the robbery of two Mobile Money vendors at the Buipe Cattle Market, where GH¢430,000 was reportedly stolen.

The robbery occurred on June 29, 2026, at the Buipe Cattle Market in the Savannah Region. Following the incident, the Inspector-General of Police deployed personnel from the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit to support the Savannah Regional Command in investigating the case and tracking down the suspects.

According to preliminary investigations, four men armed with two pump-action guns, a single-barrel gun and an AK-47 assault rifle attacked the two Mobile Money vendors.

The suspects allegedly fired their weapons sporadically during the attack before escaping with GH¢430,000.

After weeks of surveillance and intelligence-led operations, the Anti-Armed Robbery Unit, working with the Police Intelligence Directorate and the Kintampo Divisional Police Command, arrested one of the alleged gang members, identified as Yacouba Oumar, 28, on July 23, 2026.

Oumar was arrested at Soronuase in the Bono East Region.

During interrogation, the suspect allegedly admitted taking part in the Buipe robbery and named his alleged accomplices as Yakubu Seidu, alias Baba; Abdulai Aziz Yahaya, alias Addo; and Abduli Buipe, also known as Addo.

He further told investigators that the gang had allegedly been contracted by a cattle trader operating at the Buipe market, identified as Alhaji Yacouba, also known as Masaji, Muimen, or Yakubu, to carry out the robbery.

The police subsequently expanded their operations to several locations, including Atebubu, Soronuase, Agogo and Dawadawa, in an effort to locate other members of the alleged syndicate and recover weapons believed to have been used during the robbery.

During the operation, police officers reportedly engaged some of the suspects in an exchange of gunfire.

The confrontation resulted in the deaths of Yakubu Seidu, Abdulai Aziz Yahaya and Oumaro Amadu.

The bodies of the three suspects have been deposited at a morgue for preservation and autopsy.

Following the operation, the police recovered one pump-action gun together with five live BB cartridges. A single-barrel gun believed to have been used in the Buipe robbery was also retrieved.

The police say suspect Yacouba Oumar remains in custody and is assisting investigators with the ongoing probe.

Meanwhile, efforts are continuing to locate and arrest Alhaji Yacouba, the alleged person who contracted the gang, as well as other individuals suspected to be connected to the robbery.

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The Director of the Africa Sustainable Energy Centre, Justice Ohene-Akoto, has challenged the Ghana Grid Company (GRIDCo) to provide clearer and more detailed explanations for the recurring power outages affecting parts of the country.

His comments follow another major power interruption recorded across several areas of Ghana on Thursday, August 20, 2026, raising renewed concerns about the stability and reliability of the national electricity transmission system.

GRIDCo explained that the latest disruption was caused by a major fault on the Akosombo–Volta transmission line. According to the company, the fault resulted in the automatic shutdown of the Akosombo generating units, as well as some thermal power plants, leading to the widespread outage.

However, Justice Ohene-Akoto believes the explanation does not sufficiently address the broader concerns surrounding repeated disturbances on the national grid.

Speaking on Channel One Newsroom, he called for greater transparency from GRIDCo, arguing that the public and key stakeholders deserve to know the technical circumstances behind the repeated failures.

“We think GRIDCo is not telling us something. We think GRIDCo should be more transparent on exactly what some of these things are happening,” he said.

Justice Ohene-Akoto suggested that problems with the frequency of the national grid could be contributing to some of the recent system disturbances.

He explained that he had previously raised similar concerns following an earlier total system collapse. At the time, GRIDCo attributed that particular incident to lightning, a position he said he was not convinced by.

“I came out saying it’s likely an issue of frequency, I mean, of a frequency that was out of range, that we had a total failure. GRIDCo came out and said it’s a result of lightning, which I have my reservations about. I believe GRIDCo was not telling us something,” he stated.

According to him, subsequent comments from the Energy Minister about frequency-related challenges have strengthened his earlier concerns.

“Now, on this issue, the Minister came out and said frequency, which I agree with him,” he added.

The energy expert wants GRIDCo to go beyond announcing the immediate cause of major outages and provide comprehensive investigations into what actually triggered the failures.

He proposed that after every significant system disturbance, GRIDCo should publish a detailed root-cause analysis explaining what happened, what contributed to the incident, the lessons identified and the measures being introduced to prevent similar occurrences.

Justice Ohene-Akoto said such reports would also make it possible for stakeholders to assess whether the company was addressing the fundamental weaknesses in the electricity transmission system.

“If they came out to give us a comprehensive root cause analysis and a comprehensive roadmap, we’d have held them accountable with this one,” he said.

He also raised questions about whether the construction of a new ultra-modern control centre would, on its own, solve the technical challenges confronting Ghana’s power system.

He cited a previous fire incident at a substation as an example of an event that, in his view, should have been prevented through stronger systems and safeguards.

“An example is the fire, I mean, the substation that caught fire. That should have been something that should never have happened,” he said.

He further cautioned that investing in new infrastructure without first addressing existing technical weaknesses could leave the underlying problems unresolved.

“I’ve seen the Minister saying, ‘We are going to build an ultra-modern control centre.’ If the underlying issue were not resolved, we are going to burn the control centre as well,” he added.

Justice Ohene-Akoto is therefore urging GRIDCo to make its troubleshooting reports, lessons learned and corrective action plans available to the public.

Justice Ohene-Akoto is calling for GRIDCo to make detailed reports on major system failures available to the public, including the causes of the disruptions, lessons identified and measures being taken in response.

Ghanaian businessman and lawyer Stephen Boateng, popularly known as Kwabena Kesse or Kessben, has died at the age of 68.

The founder, President and Chief Executive Officer of the Kessben Group of Companies passed away in Kumasi on Wednesday, August 19, 2026, following a short period of illness, according to an official statement issued by the management of the group on Thursday, August 20.

The announcement has sent shockwaves across Ghana’s business, media and legal communities, particularly in the Ashanti Region, where Kessben built much of his business empire.

In a press statement dated August 20, 2026, the management of Kessben Group expressed deep sorrow over the death of its founder and described the development as a tragic loss to the group.

The statement said Lawyer Stephen Boateng passed away on August 19 in Kumasi after a short illness.

Management extended its condolences to his family, church, members of the legal fraternity and his wider circle of associates.

Kessben’s death has since attracted tributes from individuals and groups who have described him as an influential entrepreneur whose activities created opportunities across several sectors of Ghana’s economy.

At the time of his death, Boateng was at the helm of a diversified business group with operations and interests spanning media, tourism, hospitality, education, transportation, logistics, healthcare and financial services.

The companies listed in the official statement include:

Kessben Media

Kessben Travel and Tours Limited

Fosuah Hotel Limited

Kessben Driving School Limited

Kessben Shipping and Freight Forwarding Limited

Aseda Clinic Limited

Transit World Limited

Aseda Insurance Brokerage Limited

Kessben University College

Through these ventures, Kessben became one of the most recognisable private-sector entrepreneurs in Kumasi and the Ashanti Region. His media operations, in particular, helped establish the Kessben name as a household brand in Ghana.

As the family and the Kessben Group begin preparations to mourn their founder, a book of condolence has been opened at his residence at Denyame in Kumasi.

According to the statement, members of the public can sign the book from 9:00 a.m. on Friday, August 21, 2026.

The family has also appealed for privacy and solemnity as relatives, friends, colleagues and associates come to terms with the loss.

The management of Kessben Group said details concerning the one-week observation and final funeral rites will be announced when they become available.

No official dates for the final funeral had been provided in the statement as of August 20.

The family is also expected to announce dates on which members of the public will have the opportunity to personally offer their condolences.

Stephen Boateng built his reputation through entrepreneurship and gradually expanded his interests into multiple sectors.

He was also a trained lawyer. Reports indicate that he was called to the Ghana Bar in 2022, after pursuing his legal studies later in life. He had earlier studied Economics with Law at the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology and obtained an MBA in Finance.

His business journey ultimately produced a conglomerate with a presence in areas including broadcasting, education, hospitality, transport, logistics and financial services.

His passing therefore marks the end of an era for one of Kumasi’s most prominent business figures.

As tributes continue to pour in, attention is expected to turn to the funeral arrangements and the future leadership of the various businesses established under the Kessben Group.

The Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) has attributed the widespread power outage experienced across parts of Ghana in the early hours of Thursday, August 20, 2026, to a major fault on the Akosombo–Volta transmission line.

The disruption occurred at approximately 4:30 a.m., resulting in the loss of electricity supply to several parts of the country and leaving households, businesses and other facilities without power.

In a press statement issued on Thursday, August 20, GRIDCo said the fault triggered the automatic tripping of the Akosombo generating units as well as some thermal generating plants.

The company explained that the automatic shutdown was activated by the power system’s protection mechanisms as a safety measure to protect the integrity and stability of Ghana’s National Interconnected Transmission System (NITS).

According to GRIDCo, the protection mechanisms are designed to respond automatically to serious faults within the transmission network in order to prevent the disturbance from causing further instability across the national power system.

The Akosombo–Volta transmission line is an important part of Ghana’s electricity transmission network. The fault on the line caused the national power system to experience a major disturbance shortly after 4:30 a.m.

As a result, the protection system automatically disconnected the Akosombo generating units and some thermal plants.

GRIDCo said this action subsequently led to a loss of power supply in affected areas.

The company stressed that the automatic tripping was part of the system’s protective response and was intended to safeguard the wider transmission network rather than allow the fault to compromise the stability of the national grid.

Immediately after the incident, GRIDCo engineers began working with other agencies within the power sector to contain the disturbance and restore electricity supply.

The affected transmission line was isolated, allowing technical teams to commence a safe and systematic restoration of the power system.

GRIDCo said power supply had already been restored to some affected areas by the time of its statement, while restoration work was continuing to reconnect customers who remained without electricity.

The company said the restoration process was being undertaken carefully to ensure that electricity supply could be returned without compromising the stability and safety of the national grid.

“Power supply has already been restored to some affected areas,” GRIDCo stated, adding that restoration efforts were progressing steadily to restore supply to all remaining affected customers as quickly and safely as possible.

GRIDCo assured the public that all relevant technical teams had been fully mobilised to deal with the situation.

The company said its engineers were working with urgency to achieve complete restoration of the power system and reconnect all customers affected by the disturbance.

It also said it would continue monitoring the system while restoration activities progressed.

The transmission company expressed regret over the inconvenience caused by the temporary outage.

GRIDCo acknowledged the disruption the loss of electricity could cause to households, businesses and other electricity users and appealed to the public for patience, understanding and cooperation while engineers worked to restore normal supply.

The company further assured the public that updates would be provided as additional information became available.

Thursday’s incident is significant because it comes less than a month after another major disturbance on Ghana’s national power system.

On July 29, 2026, Ghana also experienced a widespread power outage after a system disturbance affected the National Interconnected Transmission System. That incident occurred at about 3:11 a.m. and resulted in electricity interruptions across several parts of the country.

The recurrence of major power disruptions within a short period has renewed public attention on the reliability and stability of Ghana’s power transmission system.

However, in Thursday’s incident, GRIDCo has specifically identified the fault on the Akosombo–Volta transmission line as the immediate cause of the latest system disturbance.

GRIDCo has not indicated that the latest disruption is a planned nationwide outage. Rather, it described the incident as a major fault that triggered the automatic operation of the national power system’s protection mechanisms.

The company’s immediate priority is therefore to restore supply in stages while ensuring the transmission network remains stable.

Some affected customers have already been reconnected, while others were still awaiting restoration as engineers continued their work.

GRIDCo said it would provide further updates as restoration efforts progress.

The company also urged the public to remain patient and cooperate with the relevant power sector agencies until full restoration is achieved.

The statement was issued by the Corporate Communications Section of Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) on Thursday, August 20, 2026.

GRIDCo said the national power system experienced a major fault at approximately 4:30 a.m. on the Akosombo–Volta transmission line.

It explained that the resulting automatic tripping of the Akosombo generating units and some thermal generating plants was part of the system’s protection mechanisms aimed at safeguarding the integrity and stability of the National Interconnected Transmission System.

The company said its engineers immediately worked with other power sector agencies to isolate the affected transmission line and commence safe and systematic restoration.

GRIDCo confirmed that supply had already been restored to some affected areas and that efforts were continuing to restore power to all remaining affected customers.

The company apologised for the inconvenience and assured the public that its technical teams had been fully mobilised and were working urgently towards complete restoration.

It concluded by assuring the public that further updates would be issued as more information became available and thanked customers for their patience, understanding and cooperation.