Once largely invisible to the public, the Electricity Company of Ghana’s (ECG) Sub-Transmission Division in Ashanti has emerged as a national benchmark for how technical utility operations can be communicated as stories of service, reliability, and public value.
For years, the division quietly performed one of the most critical roles in the electricity value chain—managing bulk supply points, transformers, and high-voltage networks that keep homes, businesses, and hospitals powered. Yet despite its importance, the work remained largely outside public awareness.
A strategic communications intervention has now changed that narrative.
Following a situational analysis, the division identified a key communication gap: while engineers spoke in technical terms about infrastructure and network upgrades, customers and stakeholders were primarily interested in outcomes—stable electricity supply, fewer outages, and uninterrupted economic activity.
To bridge this gap, Ashanti Sub-Transmission introduced a three-year strategic communications framework focused on visibility, relevance, and trust. The initiative reframed sub-transmission operations from hidden engineering systems into a vital link in ECG’s service delivery to the public.
Human-centred storytelling became central to the strategy. Instead of communicating only installations and technical upgrades, the team focused on what those investments meant for everyday life—improved reliability, fewer disruptions, and greater confidence in electricity supply.
“The goal was simple but strategic—connect infrastructure improvements directly to lived experience,” explained Collins Manu, Communications Officer for Ashanti Sub-Transmission.
By the second year of implementation, the impact had become measurable. Positive media coverage of Ashanti Sub-Transmission increased by more than 300 percent, with no negative media mentions recorded, while stakeholder interest and engagement with the division significantly grew.
The initiative has also received recognition at the corporate level.
William Boateng (APR), Director of Communications at the Electricity Company of Ghana, described the transformation as a turning point in how technical operations are communicated within the organization.
“What was achieved was the repositioning of a highly technical function into a story of service delivery and public value,” he noted during a communications retreat. “This approach enhanced ECG’s visibility and helped stakeholders better understand how infrastructure investments translate into reliability and customer confidence.”
Regulators have also acknowledged the impact of the communication approach.
Edward Kingston Boduah, the Ashanti Regional Manager of the Public Utilities Regulatory Commission (PURC), has stated that the initiative has enhanced stakeholders’ understanding of investments in the electricity network.
“The communication from Ashanti Sub-Transmission helped stakeholders appreciate the link between infrastructure upgrades and service reliability,” he said. “It has strengthened confidence and engagement.”
Internally, the strategy has also reshaped organisational culture. Communication is increasingly seen not as an afterthought but as a key component of service delivery.
Ing. Peter Kofi Fletcher, General Manager of Ashanti Sub-Transmission, noted that translating complex technical work into relatable outcomes has strengthened public trust while raising the region’s profile within the organisation.
“Communication became part of how we deliver service,” he said.
Today, the Ashanti Sub-Transmission Division is regarded as one of ECG’s most visible operational regions and a reference point for stakeholder engagement in the utility sector.
At a time when essential service providers face growing public scrutiny and rising expectations for transparency, the Ashanti experience offers an important lesson: even the most technical infrastructure operations can inspire public confidence when communicated as stories of public value and everyday impact.
Source :www.kumasimail.com
