More Power, More Hope? A Candid Look at the Anwomaso-Kumasi Transmission Project
A few months ago, I sat in my living room with my phone flashlight propped up in a mug — praying it wouldn’t die before the power came back. You know that feeling when ECG hits you with an unplanned blackout? Yeah, not fun. My ice cream melted, my Zoom call froze, and my sanity? Well, it almost left the building.
So, when I heard about this shiny new €8.7 million 161KV Anwomaso-Kumasi transmission line project kicking off, I couldn’t help but let out a tiny sigh of relief. (And a “let’s see how this goes” eye roll, to be honest.) Kumasi and its surrounding areas have wrestled with unstable power for way too long. It’s like a toxic relationship — you never know when the lights will ghost you.
From what I’ve read — while half-sleep scrolling through news in bed — this transmission line’s supposed to improve power reliability, reduce outages, and help keep up with the crazy demand. Makes sense. Kumasi’s growing fast. More people, more businesses, more TikTok videos to upload. You can’t have all that without steady power.
In my opinion — and hey, I might be wrong — energy projects like this should’ve been happening on the regular. Not as big press conferences or “look what we did!” moments, but as normal maintenance. Like fixing potholes. Or replacing that stubborn light bulb in the bathroom that’s been flickering since last year. (Okay, maybe that’s just me.)
But here’s the part I find interesting. €8.7 million is no pocket change. That’s a LOT of jollof rice and cold beer. I hope it’s spent right. Not lost in someone’s secret bank account. I know, I know, I sound cynical — but can you blame me? How many grand energy projects have we heard about that never see the light of day? Or worse, they start but never finish, leaving half-dug trenches and villagers shaking their heads.
I think what excites me — cautiously — is the idea that maybe, just maybe, we’re finally getting serious about our energy backbone. Because you can’t dream big about factories, hospitals, or that cute coffee shop on the corner if the power’s as unreliable as my last situationship.
So here I am, hoping this Anwomaso-Kumasi line really gets us somewhere. More consistent power means fewer nights sweating in the dark. More productivity. Less “lights out, ice cream soup” moments. And who knows? Maybe our kids won’t even remember what “dumsor” felt like.
But let me throw this out there: why does it always feel like we celebrate the basics so much? Shouldn’t reliable electricity be normal? Or am I just expecting too much?
Something to think about next time you plug in your phone and the lights don’t flicker.