Infrastructure and Safety Concerns Rise as Power Outages and Fire Outbreaks Hit Multiple Regions

Tens of thousands of residents across the Greater Accra, Central, and Western regions faced a weekend of significant disruptions as the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG) grappled with maintenance and weather-related faults, while the Ghana National Fire Service (GNFS) responded to several major blazes. On Sunday, March 29, 2026, a combination of planned infrastructure upgrades, a violent rainstorm, and localized technical failures left many communities in darkness. Simultaneously, emergency responders were deployed to contain fires at a digital transmission centre, a prominent church in Kasoa, and a wood market in Ofankor, highlighting a challenging period for national utility and safety services.

The power interruptions were largely driven by the ECG’s efforts to enhance grid stability through scheduled upgrades and urgent repairs. In the Tema Region, a seven-hour maintenance window from 9:00 am to 4:00 pm affected areas including Suncity and Shai Hills, while a separate five-hour session impacted busy commercial districts in Accra East. However, nature and technical failures added to the strain; a Sunday rainstorm caused multiple distribution faults across Greater Accra, and a major cable fault at Amasaman disrupted service to Fise, China Mall, and Lakisha Hotel. Further afield, technicians worked to resolve an unplanned outage in Ashanti West caused by a fallen conductor, while residents in the Western Region have been put on notice for emergency maintenance scheduled for March 30.

On the safety front, fire incidents caused significant property damage but fortunately resulted in no loss of life. On March 28, a volatile fire broke out at the Ghana Digital Terrestrial Transmission Centre in Brekuso, where solar inverter batteries in a storage container caught fire. The Anyaa Fire Station team managed to contain the lithium battery-fueled blaze before it could spread. Later, on March 29, a fire at the Resurrection Power Church in Kasoa triggered panic among residents and traders. Despite attempts by bystanders to extinguish the flames with buckets of water, the fire spread rapidly through the building. This followed another early-morning commercial fire on March 28 at the Ofankor wood market, which destroyed wooden structures and machinery but was successfully contained by a multi-station response involving the Ghana Armed Forces Fire Service.

The Electricity Company of Ghana has issued a public apology for the widespread inconveniences, reassuring customers that the ongoing maintenance and repair works are vital for the long-term reliability of the national grid. Meanwhile, the Ghana National Fire Service is conducting investigations into the causes of the recent outbreaks in Brekuso, Kasoa, and Ofankor. As the ECG works to restore full service to affected areas in Amasaman and prepares for upcoming works in the Western Region, residents are advised to maintain safety precautions and treat all electrical installations as live, as power may be restored ahead of scheduled times.