Six (6) GRIDCo Staff attained the enviable milestone of 30 Years of Service.
The Board, Management and colleagues acknowledge their contribution to the growth of GRIDCo.
We extend warm congratulations to Mr. Kwabena Dapaah-Afriyie, Manager, HR Department and Madam Joyce Ahlijah, Procurement for their tenacity and hard work which has kept them in the VRA/GRIDCo Family for 30 Years! Ayeekoo!
Further to that, here are profiles with two other 30 Year awardees, Mr. Okine, and Mr. Debrah.
Mr. Solomon Okine, Chief Tech Engineer
Land Management Department (Right-of-Way Vegetation Control Section)
Q: What are your reflections on your career journey?
S.O.: I came in as a National Service person in the year 1992 and I was posted to the Materials Management Department of the Volta River Authority (VRA). I got a permanent appointment whilst working as a National Service person, so when I completed my service I immediately joined the mainstream in 1994.
Q: What are some of your memorable moments?
S.O.: They are countless, but let me focus on a few. The first is the OPGW project that brought in the first fibre cable into the country. I was part of the team working on the procurement and construction. Thereafter, the Liberia Power Project came in when the government of Liberia contacted the government of Ghana after the war. The project was given to VRA, and I was part of the team that handled the procurement of the equipment needed to bring back the Liberia National Power into operations. Another memorable project was the setting up of GRIDCo’s Procurement Department, and later, the construction of the GRIDCo warehouses in three (3) Operational Areas (Takoradi, Kumasi and Tamale). Then came the 330 kV WAPP project from Anwomaso to Kintampo, Tamale all the way to Bolga, Nayagnia substation involving the construction of a 330 kV transmission line and then the construction of substations to facilitate power export to Burkina Faso.
Q: What is your motivation?
S.O.: Good results! That’s what motivates me. When I have a task to perform, I want to see good results so, I work diligently and, as long as I see the results, I am motivated to do more.
Q: What advice do you have for colleagues?
S.O.: My advice to those who started their career not long ago is, they should have a listening ear and a learning heart. Being a human institution, one is bound to encounter challenges every day, everywhere, no matter what one does. My advice is that they should focus on successfully completing whatever tasks have been assigned them. Simply put, their objective should be results-oriented.
Q: Any acknowledgements and “Thank you’s?
S.O.: I have been here for more than 30 years, I have met lots of people. It has been a learning curve for me. I am still learning from the older ones I met when I came in, and even from the young ones who are coming in, because learning is a never-ending process. I cannot mention names because, they are plenty. Wherever they may be, I want to thank them all for the guidance, the support, advice, and all that they gave me to make me who I am today. Thank you.
Mr. Charles Kofi Adusei, Driver, System Control Centre (SCC) Tema.
Q: What has been your career journey?
C.K.A.: I started working with the Volta River Authority (VRA) in 1994. I give thanks to God for protecting me throughout these years, because it is not everyone, who gets the opportunity to work for so many years. I was posted to the Ada Dredging Unit, Transport Department where I worked for five years before being transferred to the Real Estate Department in Accra for one year. In 2000, I was transferred to the System Control Centre (SCC).
Q: What are some of your memorable moments?
C.K.A.: I have a lot of memorable moments. One of them is the regular driving / trekking and participating in the refresher courses, which VRA / GRIDCo organised for us. This furnished us with a lot of knowledge to advance our careers.
Q: What motivates you?
C.K.A.: I take my responsibilities seriously, and work hard to cater well for my family. As a man, one must focus on taking good care of one’s home and possibly, the extended family, to enable them give off their best in all that they do for themselves, for you and the entire family. Whilst at work; especially when on trek, I keep in touch with the family, so we are up to date with happenings in eachother’s life so we motivate each other.
Q: What advice do you have for colleagues?
C.K.A.: For us drivers, one major challenge is fuel management. We have a motto, “There’s no emergency so great that we can’t take the time to do our work properly.” I advise that we complete one task before moving on to the next to avoid risks.
Q: Any acknowledgements and “thank yous?”
C.K.A.: Firstly, I would like to thank Mr. Barnes a former VRA Transport Officer; Mr. Fred Sowah, who always worked with us and ensured we did the right thing; Mr. Eric Asare who helped me greatly when he was in active service, as well as Mr. Raymond Kumah and Ing. Frank Okyere, Director System Operations.
Special thanks go to the Chief Executive, Ing. Ebenezer Kofi Essienyi. Within a few months of his tenure, he approved numerous training programmes for us drivers. He is the first Chief Executive to facilitate a driver boarding a plane from the North to the South for a driving course. This is remarkable. I appreciate him for that and thank God for the lives of him and his family. I am also grateful to the entire GRIDCo team for being wonderful work colleagues.
