Actress Yvonne Nelson led #DumsorMustStop protesters on Saturday, June 8 to register their grievances against the power outages being experienced across the country.
The protest march started from the University of Ghana main entrance to the Tetteh Quarshie Roundabout, where the organisers addressed the press.
Some of the notable faces present were Member of Parliament for Madina Constituency, Francis Xavier Sosu and comedian DKB.
According to Yvonne, the #DumsorMustStop Vigil was triggered by the Tema General Hospital incident.
“Let me tell you why I organized it. I saw a video from Tema General Hospital. I have a condition now, so when I saw the video, it really spoke to me; it really touched me because I know that I could find myself in that position very soon,” Nelson said. “I am a Ghanaian. I had my first daughter in Ghana, and I may have my future kids in Ghana, so what if it happens to me in the hospital? So, I was a little triggered when I saw that video. It is the reason I went to social media and decided to tweet about dumsor.”
It would be recalled that a 3-day-old baby died at Tema General Hospital following a power outage on March 28, 2024.
Read the Petition by #DumsorMustStop protesters
1. Healthcare: Our hospitals are struggling to provide adequate care, especially during critical moments such as childbirth. The lack of reliable power supply puts both mothers and newborns at risk, undermining our healthcare system and endangering lives.
2. Businesses; Entrepreneurs and businesses, from small vendors to large enterprises, are experiencing significant operational challenges due to the inconsistent power supply. This is leading to financial losses, layoffs, and, in some cases, the closure of businesses. Our economy cannot thrive under such conditions.
Your Excellency, Mr. President, and Dr. Prempeh, we urge you to prioritize this issue with the urgency it demands. We need transparent and effective solutions to ensure a stable and reliable power supply for all Ghanaians. We implore you to take the following actions:
1. Immediate Measures; Implement short-term strategies to mitigate the current power shortages and provide relief to affected areas.
2. Long-term Solutions: Develop and communicate a comprehensive plan to upgrade and expand our power infrastructure, incorporating sustainable energy sources to prevent future occurrences of Dumsor.
3. Accountability: Ensure transparency in the management of our energy resources and hold those responsible for inefficiencies accountable.
Ghana has the potential to be a beacon of progress and development in Africa, but we cannot achieve this if we are constantly hindered by power crises. We are confident that with decisive action and commitment, we can overcome this challenge and build a brighter future for our nation. Thank you for your attention to this urgent matter. We look forward to your prompt response and to seeing tangible improvements in our power supply situation.
Yours sincerely,
Yvonne Nelson
Henry Akoto Osei
Selorm Dramani Dzramado
