<<Print>>

A former Chief of Staff under the Rawlings regime has said Ghanaians must look at the bigger picture and focus on the real problem facing the energy sector in the country.

Nana Ato Dadzie insisted "the problem of dumsor did not start from 2012 but from Acheampong's time," and charged Ghanaians to keep an eye on what government is doing to resolve the crisis.

Ghana has been hit by a three year power crisis that has led to many businesses collapsing, dozens of job losses, even deaths.

Some hospitals have been operating and sometimes delivering children in the dark because of dumsor.

The heat of dumsor has become unbearable so much that frustrated celebrities- actors, actresses, musicians, poets etc have resolved to pour out on the streets in a dumsormuststop vigil to protest against the crisis.

The decision to go on the vigil has been condemned largely by government spokespersons and some artistes as well.

Some of the organisers, including Yvonne Nelson, Lydia Forson have been insulted severally by spokespersons of government, even though some of the critics have since apologised for the insults.

Speaking on the subject on Joy FM's Newsfile, Saturday, Nana Ato Dadzie condemned the insults hurled at the celebrities.

"The dumsor insults simply are indefensible," he said, adding the "dumsor protests as legitimate."

"Everybody is suffering [from dumsor]. Right from the president to the common man. I don't see why anybody should stop them [celebrities] or run them down," Ato Dadzie stated.

Having led over 3000 students on demonstration as a student leader to "assert the rights of student against the Acheampong regime" Dadzie believes it will be hypocritical to condemn the dumsor vigil.

He said demonstrations are constitutional rights guaranteed to all persons and the decision by the celebrities to go on a vigil must be respected.

"The fact that they are celebrities does not mean they don't have a right to go on demonstration," he noted.

Communications Director of the NPP Nana Akomea also condemned the insults hurled at the organisers.

Even though he believes Lydia Forson's description of president Mahama as a failed school boy was a bit harsh, he said the reactions by government communicators to her write up and the vigil have been overboard.

He also chided government for the many failed promises to solve the dumsor.