By Dominic Hlordzi
The Volta River Authority (VRA), is making strategic efforts to become the leader in power generation in West Africa, leveraging creativity and innovation to generate more electricity to meet increasing national demand as well as for export.
Speaking at the 62nd anniversary of the VRA in Accra, the Board Chairman of the VRA, Mr. Kofi Tutu Agyare, said the Board is working with management to put in measures to increase power generation as demand increases.
He said the VRA has a great opportunity to tap into the West African electricity market and become the leader in that space.
Mr. Tutu Agyare observed that if the authority failed to make inroads in the West African market within the next five years, it would be a huge missed opportunity.
“VRA is one of the efficient state-run institutions in ghana.
We are at inflection point. Denand for electricity is going to surpass supply and we have to ensure that we work to increase generation to meet demand,” Mr. Tutu Agyare stated.
He urged the workers to develop their skills, position themselves, and do more for the authority to attain its goals.
“Innovation and creativity are important to get us there,” he hoped.
VRA CEO, Mr. Emmanuel Antwi-Darkwa, said the authority has survived a number of challenges and it’s time to adjust its operations to stay in business.
“The impact of these events on us has meant readjustment of our strategy and approach to our operations. We have had to focus on agility, digitisation and multi-stakeholder collaboration.”
“What we need are unique and fresh ideas that provide novel approaches and solutions to the way we carry out our business,” Mr. Antwi-Darkwa explained.
The Managing Director of ECG, Mr. Samuel Mahama, entreated Ghanaians to pay their electricity bills so ECG can, in turn, pay VRA for the power it generates.
He said ECG is rolling out a number of digital interventions, and very soon it will fully go cashless.
Mr. Mahama spoke about the recent revenue mobilisation exercise and said at the appropriate time the power generators and the transmitor, VRA, Bui Power Authority, and Ghana Grid Company, will be part of the revenue collection exercise to get consumers to understand that the exercise is a general power sector programme to help raise the needed revenue to sustain electricity supply.
It’s been more than six decades since the VRA led Ghana’s electricity generation agenda.
Not only did it give Ghanaians light, but it was also instrumental in industrialization and national development.
The Authority was the sole electricity producer until the emergence of independent power producers and was originally known for hydro.
Now, its operations cover thermal and renewables.
Staff members who came up with innovative ideas which will be implemented to improve the work of the authority were applauded.
Mr. Dennis Anyomi was adjudged the overall best worker for the year.
The 62nd-anniversary celebration has the theme: Creativity and Innovation: “My Business, Your Business.”
