Ghanaian actress and activist Yvonne Nelson has once again turned to Twitter, this time to voice her call for a renewed vigil in response to Ghana’s ongoing power crisis.
Nelson, renowned for her active involvement in the 2015 #DumsorMustStop movement, expressed her disappointment with the current administration’s handling of the situation.
In her tweet dated April 22, 2024, Nelson reached out to Imani Ghana, a civil society group, urging them to unite for a fresh demonstration. She underscored the pivotal role IMANI played in the success of the previous campaign.
Nelson didn’t mince words in her criticism of the leadership of the New Patriotic Party (NPP) and President Nana Akufo-Addo, accusing them of taking the Ghanaian populace for granted.
Her tweet resonated: “Imani Ghana, can we organize another vigil? I’ve been waiting for you to reach out like you did years back. (your team made our demo a success) I’m reaching out myself. The NPP and its leadership @NAkufoAddo have taken Ghanaians for granted. #DUMSORMUSTSTOP.”
The resurgence of the hashtag #DUMSORMUSTSTOP, initially prominent during the online protests against erratic power supply, mirrors Nelson’s renewed call for action.
Nelson’s plea reflects the escalating frustration among Ghanaians regarding the persistent energy challenges facing the nation.
Imani Ghana, can we organize another vigil? Ive been waiting for you to reach out like you did years back. ( your team made our demo a success ) Im reaching out myself. The NPP and its leadership @NAkufoAddo have taken Ghanaians for granted . #DUMSORMUSTSTOP
— 𝓨𝓿𝓸𝓷𝓷𝓮 𝓝𝓮𝓵𝓼𝓸𝓷 (@yvonnenelsongh) April 22, 2024
The recurrent power outages, locally termed “dumsor,” have been disrupting businesses and daily life since late 2023, with the situation worsening in 2024. Despite government assertions that these outages don’t constitute “dumsor,” many citizens disagree, pointing out similarities to the 2015 crisis.
During the 2015 dumsor crisis, Nelson and fellow celebrities, such as Prince David Osei, participated in large-scale protests.
However, government officials have brushed off the need for a timetable for the current outages, further fueling public discontent. The Minister for Energy, Matthew Opoku Prempeh, even threw down a challenge to those requesting a timetable, urging them to propose one themselves.