President John Dramani Mahama has identified operational lapses within the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) as a major contributor to the country’s power supply challenges, while detailing ongoing reforms to improve efficiency and service delivery.

Speaking at the Kwahu Business Forum on Saturday, April 4, he said recent changes in management and procurement systems are beginning to address long-standing inefficiencies within the power distributor.

The President cited past procurement decisions as an example of misplaced priorities, noting that ECG had focused on non-critical acquisitions.

“ECG was procuring… street lights that can light from Accra to Burkina Faso, and yet they were still procuring more street lights,” he said.

He explained that the government has now shifted focus towards more essential infrastructure, particularly transformers, to strengthen electricity distribution.

“The more important thing that should be procured is transformers… and so today, ECG is replacing transformers and procuring additional ones to meet demand,” he added.

Mr Mahama further noted that rapid urban expansion has placed increasing strain on existing power infrastructure, necessitating upgrades.

“As urban centres grow, you find that more people finish their houses and connect, and suddenly the transformer is not powerful enough… So you need to replace it with a bigger transformer,” he stated.

He acknowledged that ongoing upgrade works may sometimes lead to temporary outages but stressed that such disruptions are part of efforts to improve reliability.

“So sometimes when your light goes off, it’s because of the work they are doing to improve the power supply in your area,” he explained, adding that the reforms are aimed at delivering a more stable and efficient electricity system nationwide.