Individuals and businesses operating within electricity transmission corridors have been given one month to leave voluntarily or be forcibly evacuated, the Minister of Energy and Green Transition, Dr John Abdulai Jinapor, has warned.
The minister issued the directive on Thursday, August 13, while inspecting a damaged Ghana Grid Company Limited (GRIDCo) transmission tower at Ashaiman Middle East. The tower was compromised after a tanker exploded during welding work being carried out by artisans nearby on July 10, at around 3pm, sending debris into the structure.
The damaged tower, a double-circuit structure, carries two major transmission lines running from GRIDCo's Volta Substation in Tema to the Achimota Substation in Accra — lines that supply a large share of the capital's power. GRIDCo said the resulting damage left the tower at risk of collapse, a scenario that could have dragged down neighbouring towers and triggered a widespread blackout.
Dr Jinapor said the near-disaster underscored the dangers of allowing unauthorised structures and activities beneath high-voltage transmission lines, noting that such practices put critical infrastructure, workers and ordinary citizens at risk. While government had previously relied on appeals for voluntary compliance, he said, the time for softer measures had passed.
Under the new ultimatum, anyone occupying land beneath transmission pylons, near transformer installations or other energy infrastructure nationwide has 30 days to clear out. After that, the minister said, government will bring in police, military, National Security and local assemblies to carry out forced evacuations — and any property left behind may be seized and auctioned. He specifically singled out businesses using pylon corridors as car parks, calling the practice illegal, and appealed for public and media support in enforcing the exercise, saying the goal was to avert a serious energy-related disaster.
GRIDCo's Chief Executive, Frank Otchere, echoed the warning, describing the July incident as a reminder of how dangerous transmission infrastructure can be when people work or build too close to it. He said the utility had originally expected the tower repair to take two days but was now aiming to finish within about 12 hours. Some parts of Accra could experience temporary power interruptions while the work is carried out, he added, though GRIDCo is running simulations to limit the disruption and will announce which areas are likely to be affected.
