Former Greater Accra Regional Minister and Tema East MP, Titus Glover, has criticised the directive by the Minister for Energy and Green Transition, John Abdulai Jinapor, asking the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo), Ing. Mark Awuah Baah, to step aside, describing it as a “knee-jerk reaction.”

Speaking on Adom FM’s Dwaso Nsem, Mr. Glover questioned the basis for the decision, especially as investigations into the Akosombo substation fire are still ongoing.

“This is a knee-jerk reaction. This is someone who is due for pension in June and will proceed on leave prior to that. Why can’t we look at the issue going on and deal with the problem?” he questioned.

Mr. Glover maintained that, from a layman’s perspective, the fire outbreak at the Akosombo Substation appeared to be accidental.

“From a layman’s point of view, the fire outbreak at Akosombo was an accident and they are working to resolve the issue. If there is evidential proof that some people are sabotaging efforts, then we can hold them on. But we shouldn’t act based on gossip and speculation,” he stated.

The fire, which damaged critical infrastructure at the facility, led to widespread power outages across the country and forced authorities to shut down operations at the Akosombo Dam.

Authorities say investigations are ongoing to determine the cause of the fire and assess the extent of the damage, but the Minister’s directive is aimed at ensuring a transparent and independent probe.

In a related development, there has also been a reshuffle in the Ashanti Regional leadership of the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) as part of efforts to improve efficiency and strengthen power distribution as challenges persist within the sector.

However, Mr. Glover argued that leadership changes alone may not address the root cause of the crisis.

“Why can’t we look at the issue going on and deal with the problem? These people who are being sacked, are they the cause of the problem? I need some education,” he added.