Dumsor

Dumsor or more appropriately Dum Sɔ is a popular Ghanaian term used to describe persistent electric power outages. The term is coined from two separate words from the Twi dialect of the Akan language (a language spoken widely in Ghana), dum (to turn off or quench) and sɔ (to turn on or to make light). [1]

The term was adopted because of the frequent blackouts due to insufficient power supply. Insufficient power supply refers to a load shedding exercise carried out daily by the Ghana Grid Company and Electricity Company of Ghana.[2] The term started gaining prominence in 2008/09/11/12/13/14/15 when Ghanaians under the President John Agyekum Kuffour's administration went through a painful eractic power supply for more than one year at a time water levels of the Akosombo Dam dropped significantly which consequently led to a load shedding exercise due to the reduced generation capacity of the country's main hydro-electric dam. The power crisis negatively affected Ghana's hosting of the AFCON 2008. The power crisis was resolved when President John Atta Mills ruled the country. However it resurfaced under the Mahama's government. The load shedding exercise has since been a periodic experience and has plunged the country into major power crisis.

Usage

The word has been used by the general public in Ghana since 2009 in expressing anger, fun, mockery, worry and disappointment in authorities of the ruling Government. It has also gained popularity via social media websites such as Twitter and Facebook with the hashtag #Dumsor. In 2015, John Mahama used the word in a state visit to Germany while talking with Angela Merkel, he indicated he has been nicknamed "Mr. Dumsor" due to the power crisis,[3] where he attributed it to Nigeria for not supplying gas as required to Ghana through the West Africa Gas Pipeline.[4]

References

  1. ↑ "Lights Out in Accra: Dumsor Gets Worse". kajsaha.com. February 2, 2015.
  2. ↑ Agbenyega, E. (10 April 2014). "Ghana’s power crisis: What about renewable energy?". graphic.com.gh. Retrieved 8 February 2015.
  3. ↑ "I’ve been named ‘Mr Dumsor’ in Ghana – Prez Mahama tells Ghanaians in Germany - See more at:". Graphic Online. Graphic Communications Group Limited (G.C.G.L). 21 January 2015. Retrieved 2 March 2015.
  4. ↑ Obour, Samuel K and Gamor, Emmanuel. (21 January 2015). "I’ve been named ‘Mr Dumsor’ in Ghana – Prez Mahama tells Ghanaians in Germany". graphic.com.gh. Retrieved 8 February 2015.