Group decries incessant dumsor in Northern Region, pledges to join dumsor vigil

Pressure group United Voices for Change has questioned the rationale behind the incessant power outages that have hit the Northern Region in recent times, despite the government's continuous denial of an imminent power crisis.

The group, which is made up mainly of academics from the two main universities in the Northern Region—the Tamale Technical University and the University for Development Studies—and other professional groups based in the Northern Region, said it is deeply concerned about the frequent power outages in the region.

"The impact of these outages on our daily lives cannot be overstated, and we must take a stand to ensure that the government of the day addresses this critical issue," Prof. Azeko Tahiru, UVC Regional Coordinator for the Northern Zone, said while addressing the press on Wednesday.

He announced that the group would be joining Yvonne Nelson's 'Dumsor Vigil,' scheduled for June 8 in Accra.

Prof. Azeko noted that the current state of power outages in the country is not acceptable, especially "after the promise of the Pwalugu Dam [which has a component of hydropower generation] and the expenditure of over 12 million dollars."

He added, "We cannot afford to overlook these outages' detrimental impact on our livelihoods, hindering our ability to work effectively and disrupting our daily routines."

The Northern Region has been hit with unannounced power outages in recent weeks.

The regional capital, Tamale, has been the hardest hit, with many residents sleeping in darkness for several days.

The Northern Electricity Distribution Company, in their various press releases, usually blamed the outages on technical challenges faced at the Choggu substation in Tamale.