DUMSOR VIGIL FIXES POWER CRISIS?

Posted on: www.dailyguideghana.com

By William Yaw Owusu

Tuesday, May 19, 2015

There was three days of uninterrupted power supply in most parts of Accra, leaving many residents to wonder whether the ongoing power crisis was not deliberate.

The ‘improved’ power supply coincided with the weekend dumsor vigil spearheaded by actress, Yvonne Nelson and attended by other celebrities as well as university teachers and other concerned Ghanaians.

Some critics of the government are claiming the weekend’s uninterrupted power supply was deliberately done to spite the celebrity-inspired demonstration that sought to put pressure on President John Mahama and his NDC government to act swiftly to end the power crisis.

The situation over the weekend left some critics of the government to suggest that the crisis known in local parlance as Dumsor could be a deliberate programme of the government as vote catching measure so that if by the end of the year the crisis was resolved the president can make claim of it.

President Mahama had previously said Ghanaians have short memories in the event that the problem is resolved they would have forgotten the hardships they had gone through.

Critics are saying it is unusual for Accra residents to experience uninterrupted power supply for three days running because power supplier, ECG has not announced any new timetable for power rationing.

They insisted the fact that the government is able to continuously provide uninterrupted power supply during festive occasions as well as during football tournaments showed that President Mahama and his government were capable of solving the problem in no time instead of waiting for the end of year when most companies would have collapsed because of the energy crisis.

The country’s power crisis has worsened with the government struggling in vain to remedy the situation amidst several failed promises.

Currently, industries and major businesses are collapsing as a result of the dumsor, whilst many workers continue to lose their jobs.

Deadlines set by the government to end the crisis have elapsed and Ghanaians continue to remain in the dark as to when the problem would finally be solved.

Even, the emergency power barges promised by the government to mitigate the effects of the crisis are still not ready and there appears to be no end insight for the crisis.

Many Ghanaians, including celebrities, have expressed disgust at the government’s handling of the crisis but a number of NDC appointees have sought to disparage those who want the government to sit up over the dumsor.

The anger and frustration set in with Ghana’s famous entertainment stars led by popular actress Yvonne Nelson voicing their feelings ‘openly’ about the perennial lights off that is crippling the economy.

Ms Nelson said the assurances given by the John Mahama-led NDC government to fix the perennial electricity crisis were all ‘lies’ and went on to start what she termed #DumsorMustStop campaign on social media which has gained enough public attention culminating in a vigil last Saturday.