Miss Nelson on Saturday, June 8 oragnised a second demonstration to express frustration with the erratic power supply.

The actress said he was moved by the tragic news of a 3-day-old baby’s death at Tema General Hospital following a power outage.

A section of Ghanaians who joined the protest converged at the University of Ghana (Legon) gate and marched to the Tetteh Quarshie roundabout where a statement was read.

Reacting to the march, the Majority Leader said the concerns of the protestors must not be overlooked.

Acknowledging that the government is working to resolve the problem, Mr Afenyo-Markin noted that, there was room for more.

“Ghana, we have made it, as a member of ECOWAS Parliament, if I look at the developments in the sub-region, even power, Nigeria, I’m just coming from Abuja, almost every household has a Gen set. You go to Benin, Togo, La Cote D’Ivoire, Guinea, Conakry, Equitorial Guinea, Cape Verde. They don’t have reliable power, we do, but even so, it’s not enough.

“So, we should continue to drum home on the issue, our sister Yvonne Nelson, did some demonstration. Even though we’re solving the problem in the energy sector, that alone will be a wake-up call to pinch the minister of energy, that hey, let me solve it and get it done completely. After all, that’s why the people voted for us,” he said in a report by Accra-based Citi FM.

The MP made the remarks during the distribution of laptops within the Effutu municipality as part of his one- teacher- one- laptop initiative.

ALSO READ:

• #DumsorMustStop Vigil: I was triggered by the Tema General Hospital incident – Yvonne Nelson

• ‘Dumsor’ interrupts Bawumia’s campaign speech in Accra [Video]

The application was filed at the Accra High Court on Monday, May 20, 2024, seeking an order to prohibit the organisers from holding the protest.

This follows the lack of consensus between the Accra Regional Police Command and the leadership of the #DumsorMustStop protest, including Yvonne Nelson, Selorm Dramani Dzramado, and Henry Osei Akoto.

The Police at a meeting on May 15, 2024, urged the leadership to consider relocating the protest venue and adjust the time.

The Police Command raised concerns about the proposed venue, the Revolution Square, citing its proximity to the Jubilee House, the seat of government, which is designated as a security zone.

Due to potential risks to public defence, order, and safety, the Command recommended relocating the protest to the Independence Square.

With 12 midnight as the time to end the protest, the Police cautioned that it could compromise security measures and escalate tensions, potentially leading to violence.

Meanwhile, the court is expected to hear the application on Friday, May 24, 2024.

ALSO READ:

• Dumsor vigil set to take place in Accra
• Police against dumsor vigil near Jubilee House; request change in venue, timing

In a meeting held at the Regional Police Headquarters on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, discussions revolved around the notification of the public protest and its potential impact on public order and safety.

The Police Command expressed concerns regarding the initially proposed venue, the Revolution Square, citing its proximity to the Jubilee House, the seat of Government, which is designated as a security zone.

Recognizing potential risks to public defense, order, and safety, the Command recommended relocating the protest to the Independence Square.

Additionally, the Command highlighted apprehensions regarding the proposed timing of 12 midnight for the conclusion of the protest.

They cautioned that such timing could compromise security measures and escalate tensions, potentially leading to violence.

Therefore, they advised the protest organizers to adjust the timing accordingly.

The Accra Regional Police Command reiterated its commitment to maintaining law and order while facilitating peaceful protests within the framework of the Ghana Police Service’s mandate.

The protest organizers are yet to respond to the Police Command’s request for the change in venue and timing.

In response to a letter addressed to the Inspector General of Police (IGP) on May 9, the Regional Commander has extended an invitation to the conveners, including Yvonne Nelson, Selorm Dramani Dzramado, and Henry Osei Akoto, for a meeting.

The meeting to take place on Wednesday, May 15, 2024, at 1400 hours aims to discuss the modalities of the intended demonstration.

The meeting is also to address concerns and establish guidelines for the intended demonstration, which seeks to raise awareness about the adverse effects of the ongoing power supply challenges in Ghana.

Yvonne Nelson officially notified the Ghana Police Service of the upcoming protest in a statement shared on May 9.

The statement outlined plans for the vigil, scheduled to take place at Revolution Square on May 25, commencing at 8:30 am and concluding at 12 midnight.

Expressing frustration over the unacceptable power supply situation, the statement noted the intention to provide evidence of the debilitating effects of ‘dumsor’ to the president.

This initiative follows a call to action from Yvonne Nelson, urging Ghanaians to join her in a campaign against the recent erratic power cuts.

The protest echoes similar demonstrations organized by Yvonne and other celebrities in 2015 to express displeasure over consistent power outages.

Yvonne Nelson hopes for widespread participation in the upcoming protest and seeks the support of the general public in their collective effort to address the issue of ‘dumsor.’

According to him, the policy think tank was not directly involved in the organisation of the ‘dumsor’ vigil in 2015.

The actress, along with several industry figures, including musicians and actors, led a similar protest in 2015 during the tenure of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) under former President, John Dramani Mahama.

Miss Nelson in a post on X, expressing her frustration over the current situation called for collaboration to organise the vigil because IMANI made it a success.

However, Mr Simons has clarified the 2015 vigil was organised by pressure groups and not IMANI.

He added that, IMANI has diligently been chasing relevant stakeholders on several issues relating to the power supply ecosystem but have never seen the actress amplify any of that.

“Ghana’s problems require long-term consistent advocacy best suited to INSTITUTIONS. Do YOU support such institutions? Does Ms. Nelson?” he quizzed.

Below is Mr Simons’ post:

BB,

Those… aren't her forte.

Perhaps you MUST realise that the Ghanaian public is DEMANDING EQUITY & CONSISTENCY in checking the government.

If the vigil was used to press for fixing DUMSOR during NDC, surely, it's justifiable to wonder why it's not being used during NPP.

— GONJA MAN (@1Farakhan) April 23, 2024

ALSO READ:

• #DumsorDemo revival: Yvonne Nelson reaches out to Imani Ghana for the second time

• Kumasi residents hold night demo against ‘dumsor’ [Video]