If NDC was in opposition we would demonstrate over dumsor - Koku Anyidoho

A Deputy General Secretary of the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC), says, if the party was in opposition it would do exactly what the NPP did Wednesday – call a street protest over the debilitating power crisis facing the nation.

Departing markedly from the hard-line position adopted by some of his colleagues, Mr. Koku Anyidoho said Wednesday's massive protest by the opposition New Patriotic Party “was a legitimate democratic exercise.”

Opposition leader Nana Akufo-Addo led an army of frustrated Ghanaians onto the streets Wednesday to vent their anger at a power rationing arrangement that has seen Ghanaians endure 24hours of power cut and 12hours of lights.

At the same time that the protesters marched through the streets of Accra, a deputy Communications Director of the NDC, Fred Agbenyo, addressed a press conference saying the demonstration was unnecessary.

He said instead of proffering alternative solutions, the NPP leaders and their supporters were protesting on the streets.

National Organiser of the NDC, Kofi Adams, claimed the NPP had contributed to the current power crisis.

“Why demonstrate against something you contributed significantly in putting us in?” Kofi Adams asked.

Power Minister, Dr. Kwabena Donkor on his part described the demonstration as political opportunism.

But speaking on Joy FM's Super Morning Show Thursday, Koku Anyidoho, who is a former Communications Director at the presidency, said the NDC would do the same thing if it was in opposition and the country was faced with a power crisis of this scale.

 “Let us call a spade a spade, this 'dumsor' (local slang for power rationing) is debilitating, this thing is killing, it is a crisis. The cascading effect is real and nobody can run away from it,” he conceded.

Mr. Anyidoho who revealed he does not own a gen set said he has a friend who is forking off huge sums to buy fuel to power the generator. “It is expensive,” he added.

He, however said Ghanaians can take solace in the fact that President John Mahama is not resting on his oars until the problem is solved.

“Thank God the president himself has admitted that it is a crisis and is not sleeping on it, he is working hard to ensure that this dumsor never occurs again,” he stressed.

To the extent that the president has not gone to bed, Koku Anyidoho said, there is hope.

A former General Secretary of the NPP, Kwadwo Owusu Afriyie, said the government's assurances that the power crisis will be resolved can no longer be relied on.

He said the President had promised in 2012 that the crisis will be resolved in 2013 "when he had no clue how to solve the problem."

More soon.