A number of Ghanaian celebrities are expected to pour out into the streets later today to participate in the #dumsormuststop vigil.
Today’s vigil which is being championed by actress Yvonne Nelson is to pressurise government to resolve the power crisis, which has compelled some industries to lay off workers.
[contextly_sidebar id=”m7sFBQ8yxgdOTVnLUPZocEqlzqyFZ1fS”]Organizers of the vigil are asking all participants to wear black and attend the event with torches and lanterns.
This is the first time celebrities in country are taking to the streets to protest the power crisis which they say is taking a toll on their business.
Background
It all started on social media with the hashtag #Dumsormuststop, spearheaded by actress, Yvonne Nelson.
The social media campaign later drew the attention of a lot of people.
Since some celebrities announced plans to embark on the ‘‘DumsorMustStop vigil’ slated for May 16, they encountered many setbacks which threatened to disrupt the intended exercise but despite the setbacks, the exercise was not called off.
Turf War
The vigil was expected to begin at the stadium on the University of Ghana campus and end at the Green Park opposite the Villagio apartments near the Tetteh Quarshie Interchange in Accra but the authorities at the school in a terse statement warned the organizers not to associate the school with their intended procession since no permission or whatsoever had been sought or granted.
The organisers were not permitted to hold the protest at their second choice of venue for the protest; Total Ghana’s ‘On the Run’- opposite.
Their challenges were far from over as the Ga Traditional Council also petitioned the Police not to allow the vigil to take place following the ban imposed on drumming and noise making.
However, the La Traditional Council gave its consent to the organizers of the vigil with the explanation that the mapped out route for the event did not fall under the jurisdiction of the Ga traditional Council.
After a series of marathon meetings, the vigil was finally scheduled to take off on May, 16, 2015 at the University of Ghana gate where the protest will begin.
ASP Tenge said about 500 people are expected to partake in the vigil
She said the Police had made the necessary arrangement for the exercise, saying “…we also have enough man power to deploy to undertake this particular assignment.”
Meanwhile, the Counsel for the celebrities, Kofi Bentil, has served notice that any participant who will flout the ban will not be shielded.
Vigil begins at 4pm
The vigil takes place on today at 4 pm.
The participants will converge on the overhead bridge close to the main Univeristy of Ghana gate and end at the Tetteh Quarshie roundabout, in Accra.
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By: citifmonline.com/Ghana