Residents in the Ashanti region of Ghana came together on Wednesday, April 17, for a vigil to voice their frustrations over the current power crisis plaguing the country.
The vigil, dubbed the “dumsor vigil,” saw participation from various individuals, including traders, who are feeling the negative effects of frequent power outages on their businesses and the overall economic hardship in the region.
During the vigil, attendees called on the government to address the root causes of the erratic power supply without further delay. Dr. Frank Amoakohene, the Ashanti Regional Secretary of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), criticized the government for what he sees as mismanagement that has led the country into economic and power crises.
Dr. Amoakohene highlighted the current administration’s failure to fulfill its promise of ending the power outages, commonly referred to as “dumsor”. He pointed out that the situation has worsened, with no clear timetable provided for the return of stable electricity supply.
Asare Bediako, an actor and film producer, also joined the vigil to question why there is a lack of power supply despite having abundant resources for electricity generation. He urged President Akufo-Addo and his government to take immediate action to resolve the power crisis and ensure that Ghanaians have access to reliable electricity.
The convener of the vigil, Jerry James Sukah, stressed the importance of having a load-shedding timetable in place to offer transparency and clarity to citizens regarding power outages. He criticized the government for its economic mismanagement, which has led to high inflation, currency depreciation, and an increased cost of living for Ghanaians.
