AFAG Builds Up Momentum For �Dumsor� Demo

The Alliance for Accountable Governance (AFAG) is planning a series of demonstrations to protest the crippling energy crisis in the country.

The pressure group will first meet various stakeholders, including artisans and other professionals, to assess the impact the power crisis has had on their jobs.

The Vice-chair of the group, Appietu Ankrah, said the meeting was also to build momentum for the demonstrations.

"We have received a couple of invitations from artisans and other people complaining and voicing their frustrations over the 'dumsor' that is going on in this country.

"In the face of this, AFAG decided to go to these people and hold a series of fora in the build-up to the demonstration which we will finally announce.

"We will give the platform to these artisans and those who have been affected by the 'dumsor' to vent out their frustration," he said.

AFAG, for several reasons, has hit the streets demonstrating against the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government since 2009. The protest against the energy crisis will be the latest in their activities.

The country is in darkness under a crippling load-shedding exercise which has persisted for over three years.

It has worsened in the past few weeks with consumers enjoying 12 hours of electricity and enduring 24 hours of darkness.

It is not clear yet when the 'dumsor' regime will come to an end.

Power Minister, Dr Kwabena Donkor has, however, promised to resign at the end of the year if the situation continues.

At a press conference in Accra, the Vice-President of AFAG, Henry Asante, said Ghanaians were fed up with the empty promises of President Mahama.

“President Mahama is gaining notoriety for giving empty promises. He must speak on substance, not for pleasure,” he stressed.

He indicated that the ‘Just Drop Mahama Campaign’ to be held at town halls, markets and in communities would be replicated nationwide.

Mr Asante said a forum would be held twice a week to enable Ghanaians to air their frustrations to the “incompetent and inept Mahama government”.

He stated that President Mahama’s inability to end the power crisis, popularly known as 'dumsor' for the past three years makes him “the most incompetent President in Ghana’s history”.

Mr Asante said the time had come for Ghanaians to remind President Mahama that, “We gave him the mandate to rule us”.