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05.05.2015 General News

Stars Hit The Streets Over Dumsor

05.05.2015 LISTEN
By Daily Guide

DKB
The ruling National Democratic Congress (NDC) administration's inability to fix the unending energy crisis, popularly called dumsor, has incensed the country's celebrities and they are planning to stage a demonstration against the government to make it find a lasting solution to the problem.

Popular comedian DKB, born Derrick Kobina Bonney, confirmed the proposed demonstration to DAILY GUIDE yesterday, saying he would be leading the protest.

'The integral part of this demo is for us and the general public to have our power back. Our job relies on the people and the people's entertainment lies on us. If we have power our work can progress and if the people also have power they can enjoy our works. So this cause is for every Ghanaian to wake up and march to pressure the government to solve the crisis permanently,' DKB told DAILY GUIDE.

Showbiz stars in recent times have taken over the airwaves and the social media networks, complaining about the impact of dumsor on their trade, blaming the Mahama administration for the never-ending crisis.

Some of them, particularly the women, have variously been described as 'prostitutes', having reached their menopause ages and other unprintable words by activists of the ruling party.

According to DKB, the general public should get involved and not tag celebrities who would take part in the demonstration as supporters of any political party.

The energy crisis, he said, is a national problem and so it is imperative for all citizens to come together to pressurise the government to address it without any political colouring.

'This is for all of us because when the lights are put off, they don't put off the lights of New Patriotic Party (NPP) supporters and leave those of the NDC supporters on,' he also told Accra-based radio station, Citi Fm, on Monday.

The energy crisis has collapsed a lot of businesses, with more companies laying off workers. It is also affecting students as well as various sectors of the country's entertainment industry.

That has caused the celebrities to join the public to prevail on the government to act immediately.

There is an ongoing social media campaign, dubbed 'DumsorMustStop', being led by popular stars like Yvonne Nelson, Lydia Forson and Sarkodie, all in a bid to put pressure on John Mahama to do something about the crisis.

But NDC functionaries over the weekend countered the campaign with sheer insults on the celebs.

Alhaji Halidu Haruna, a presidential staffer in the ruling National Democratic Congress, called Yvonne Nelson and Lydia Forson prostitutes while NDC commentator, Dela Coffie, said the stars were in their 'menopause'.

'Are those celebrities who are above the age of 30 years and not married responsible? What are they waiting for? Is it the prostitution that they are engaged in which has turned their minds upside down and they don't sound reasonable again? I have no respect for prostitutes. Let them say whatever they want to say, their mouth no bi gun,' Haruna posted on his Facebook page.

But he shamefully made a u-turn to render apologies to the two ladies after his comment received massive condemnation by the general public.

On Sunday, award winning film producer Leila Djansi added her voice to the backlash to Haruna's insult in a strongly-worded letter, describing him as a coward for making such comments.

'I thought I'd heard it all before, but this Halidu Haruna man has just declared what I haven't really heard all. I've been quietly following Yvonne Nelson's 'DumsorMustStop' campaign and I fully support her. I was in Ghana in February and it was not a very pleasant experience. My mum and my girls had histamine reactions from eating rotten fish. They had no idea it had gone bad from the constant power outages,' Djansi related.

'That is a very irresponsible statement coming from someone who is the face of the presidential bandwagon. That's something I expect to hear from someone else. Not from a government official. How callous! It parades a thorough lack of education, lack of respect for his mother, unfortunately. Because if you respect your mother, you will exercise some decorum when you speak about women. I am embarrassed for the NDC. No wonder JJ Rawlings and Nana Konadu Agyeman-Rawlings – one who changed the face of women in Ghana – want nothing [to do] with the party. I am sad really, because Volta NDC was started in my house. I remember squeezing beside my father when the party bigwigs met at our home in Ho. Forthwith, the party has been reduced to idle talkers and dining hall prefects,' Leila Djansi said in her letter.

More and more celebs have not only condemned the comments by Haruna, but are also bracing themselves to join the celebrity demo against Mahama's dumsor.

By Francis Addo
 

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