dumsor

The term is derived from two separate words from the Asante Twi, the Akuapem Twi or Fante dialects of the Akan language, dum ('to turn off or quench') and sɔ ('to turn on or to kindle'), and so the term roughly translates as "off-and-on".{{cite web |url=http://kajsaha.com/2015/02/lights-out-in-accra-dumsor-gets-worse/ |title=Lights Out in Accra: Dumsor Gets Worse |last=Adu |first=Kajsa Hallberg |date=2 February 2015 |publisher=kajsaha.com |accessdate=2015-05-28}} The term has also evolved into dum dum: sɔ no mma ('off and off') because of the increase in the intensity of the power outages.{{cite web |title=Ghana: Mahama Cannot Stop the Dumdum! |url=http://allafrica.com/stories/201501271463.html |url-access=subscription |date=27 January 2015 |website=allAfrica.com |publisher=Ghanaian Chronicle |accessdate=2015-08-14 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150127164205/https://allafrica.com/stories/201501271463.html |archive-date=27 January 2015}}

In 2018, a new term was coined by the energy minister who referred to the dumsor as {{transliteration|tw|dum koraa}}, as compared to the intermittent power outages now dum so, as the country faces outages.{{Cite news |url=https://www.classfmonline.com/1.11978937 |title=Expect some "dumsor" but not "dum kraa" – Amewu |last=Apinga |first=David |date=26 November 2018 |work=classfmonline.com |access-date=2018-11-29 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181130030504/https://www.classfmonline.com/1.11978937 |archive-date=30 November 2018}}

By early 2019, Ghanaians began to experience another wave of a controversial dumsor or load shedding, whose schedule was not published, despite the norm.{{cite news |url=https://africafeeds.com/2018/11/28/power-consumers-in-ghana-unhappy-with-recent-outages/ |title=Power consumers in Ghana unhappy with recent outages |last=Dzakpata |first=Fred |date=28 November 2018 |website=Africafeeds.com |accessdate=2019-02-01 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181128141207/https://africafeeds.com/2018/11/28/power-consumers-in-ghana-unhappy-with-recent-outages/ |archive-date=28 November 2018}} Ghana's Parliament was even divided on how to call it. This thus ushered in the term {{transliteration|tw|dumsaa}}: meaning off for a considerably long time or off all the time;{{cite news |last=Akwa |first=Naa Sakwaba |date=28 November 2018 |title=Parliament divided over whether to call power outages 'dumsor' or not |website=MyJoyOnline.com |url=http://www.myjoyonline.com/politics/2018/november-28th/parliament-divided-over-whether-to-call-power-outages-dumsor-or-not.php |accessdate=2019-02-17 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181129002421/http://www.myjoyonline.com/politics/2018/november-28th/parliament-divided-over-whether-to-call-power-outages-dumsor-or-not.php |archive-date=29 November 2018}} supposedly, a superlative form of dumsor.

While officials of Ghana's energy sector regulators claimed that dumsaa, the new wave of dumsor, was due to transmission failures,{{cite news |url=https://mobile.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/Transmission-failures-cause-of-recent-dumsor.php |title=Transmission failures cause of recent 'dumsor'–ECG Nov 20, 2018 |accessdate=2019-02-15}} sector analysts believed dumsaa was a matter of gross corporate liquidity mismanagement.{{cite news |url=https://www.myjoyonline.com/business/2018/November-27th/dumsor-due-to-liquidity-challenges-think-tank-counters-govts-explanation.php |title='Dumsor' due to "liquidity challenges" – Think tank counters govt's explanation |last=Nyavor |first=George |date=27 November 2018 |website=MyJoyOnline.com |accessdate=2019-02-14 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20181127112407/https://www.myjoyonline.com/business/2018/November-27th/dumsor-due-to-liquidity-challenges-think-tank-counters-govts-explanation.php |archive-date=27 November 2018}}

Ghana's power supply profusely became erratic in early 2013, because of generation capacity and breach in contract obligations to external partners. By 2015, Ghana experienced an unprecedented days and nights of blackouts because of acute electricity supply.

The term Dumsor is used to denote a period of a permanently erratic power supply under the NDC administration when Ghanaian generating capacity by 2015 went all-time low 400-600 megawatts, less than Ghana needed.{{cite web |last=Obour |first=Samuel K. |date=21 January 2015 |title=I've been named 'Mr Dumsor' in Ghana – Prez Mahama tells Ghanaians in Germany |url=http://graphic.com.gh/news/politics/37330-i-ve-been-named-mr-dumsor-in-ghana-prez-mahama-tells-ghanaians-in-germany.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150424025905/http://graphic.com.gh/news/politics/37330-i-ve-been-named-mr-dumsor-in-ghana-prez-mahama-tells-ghanaians-in-germany.html |archive-date=24 April 2015 |accessdate=2 March 2015 |website=Graphic Online |publisher=Graphic Communications Group Limited (G.C.G.L)}} Ghanaian electricity distributors regularly shed load with rolling blackouts.{{cite web |author=Agbenyega, E. |date=10 April 2014 |title=Ghana's power crisis: What about renewable energy? |url=http://graphic.com.gh/features/features/21105-ghana-s-power-crisis-what-about-renewable-energy.html |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20150701211205/http://graphic.com.gh/features/features/21105-ghana-s-power-crisis-what-about-renewable-energy.html |archive-date=1 July 2015 |accessdate=8 February 2015 |publisher=graphic.com.gh}} At the beginning of 2015, the dumsor schedule went from 24 hours with light and 12 without to 12 hours with light and 24 without.{{cite web |date=2015-01-31 |title=24-hr light-out in new loadshedding timetable? |url=http://www.ghanaweb.com/GhanaHomePage/NewsArchive/artikel.php?ID=344788 |accessdate=2015-05-28 |publisher=Ghanaweb.com}} The long blackouts contrast with the practice in other countries, where blackouts roll rapidly so that no residential area is without power for more than one hour at a time.{{cite news |date=5 January 2014 |title=Newfoundland power outage worsens after Holyrood incident |publisher=Cbc.ca |url=http://www.cbc.ca/news/canada/newfoundland-labrador/newfoundland-power-outage-worsens-after-holyrood-incident-1.2484663 |accessdate=2015-05-28}}{{cite web |last1=Gerein |first1=Keith |last2=Ibrahim |first2=Mariam |date=2012-07-09 |title=Rolling electricity blackouts strike Edmonton and across the province |url=http://www.vancouversun.com/news/edmonton/Rolling+electricity+blackouts+strike+Edmonton+across/6906998/story.html |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20120718080845/http://www.vancouversun.com/news/edmonton/Rolling+electricity+blackouts+strike+Edmonton+across/6906998/story.html |archivedate=18 July 2012 |accessdate=2015-05-28 |publisher=Vancouver Sun}}

In August 2012, the government told Ghanaians that a ship's anchor cut the West African Gas Pipeline (WAGP), forcing gas turbines to shut down for lack of fuel.{{cite web |url=http://www.gasol.co.uk/media/16771/gasol_has_a_powerful_ally.pdf |title=West Africa: Pirates cut off the gas |accessdate=2015-05-28 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20131230234529/http://www.gasol.co.uk/media/16771/gasol_has_a_powerful_ally.pdf |archivedate=30 December 2013}}{{cite web |url=http://dailyindependentnig.com/2013/11/perez-takes-over-at-wagpco/ |title=Perez takes over at WAGPCo |publisher=Dailyindependentnig.com |date=2013-11-12 |accessdate=2015-05-28 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20140116120234/http://dailyindependentnig.com/2013/11/perez-takes-over-at-wagpco/ |archive-date=16 January 2014 |url-status=usurped}} Since 2012, load shedding has become a regular experience, and the country has plunged into a major power crisis.

Many Ghanaian companies were collapsing due to the irregularity of the power supply. The Institute of Statistical, Social and Economic Research (ISSER), in a report, stated that Ghana lost about 1 billion dollars in 2014 alone because of dumsor.{{cite book |last1=Ackah |first1=Charles |title=Electricity Insecurity and Its Impact on Micro and Small Businesses in Ghana |date=2015 |publisher=ISSER - University of Ghana}}

A woman in labour at the Bawku Presby Hospital who gave birth and was on oxygen lost both her life and that of the unborn baby after power supply went off in February 2016.{{cite news |last=Dedee |first=Joshua |title=The Return of Dumsor, The Bizarre Situation Of Wiamoase |url=https://www.modernghana.com/news/916922/the-return-of-dumsor-the-bizarre-situation-of.html |publisher=Modern Ghana |date=2 February 2019 |access-date=6 September 2020}}

Electronic equipment has been avoidably damaged, and refrigerated food regularly spoiled. Contrary to the published load shedding schedule, blackouts concentrated on poorer neighbourhoods of Accra.{{Cite journal |last1=Aidoo |first1=Kobina |last2=Briggs |first2=Ryan C. |date=September 2019 |title=Underpowered: Rolling blackouts in Africa disproportionately hurt the poor |journal=African Studies Review |language=en |volume=62 |issue=3 |pages=112–131 |doi=10.1017/asr.2018.78 |issn=0002-0206 |doi-access=free}} Health and safety was also harmed, with hospitals having no light, and electricity to run fans, contributed to an increasing malaria risk.

The 2004-2005 load shedding period happened under President John Agyekum Kufuor's administration but was not too frequent as during the tenure of John Dramani Mahama. The 2009–2011 load shedding period began when John Dramani Mahama was in government as Vice President. After the death of then President John Evans Atta Mills during when the persistent on and off nature of the power supply in the country became abhorrent, Ghanaians out of frustration named the situation dumsor. The Mahama government blamed it on the government's inability to add significant generating capacity over the years and promised to fix this. Karpower Burge was brought in to solve the problem.{{Cite web |url=https://www.myjoyonline.com/450mw-power-barge-coming/ |title=450MW power barge coming |date=19 July 2016 |website=www.myjoyonline.com |access-date=24 August 2020 |url-status=live |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20210827004627/https://www.myjoyonline.com/450mw-power-barge-coming/ |archive-date=27 August 2021}}

The Ghanaian transmission system has been criticized by the World Bank for its poor financial and operational practices.{{cite web |url=https://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2013/07/04/ecg-will-make-or-break-ghanas-power-sector/ |title=ECG will make or break Ghana's power sector |last=Seidu |first=Dode |date=4 July 2013 |website=Ghana Business News |accessdate=17 May 2015 |url-status=dead |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20130916110857/http://www.ghanabusinessnews.com/2013/07/04/ecg-will-make-or-break-ghanas-power-sector/ |archivedate=16 September 2013}}

The Ghanaian Ministry of Power was created in November 2014, using the same staff as the continuing Ghanaian Ministry of Energy.{{cite web |url=http://www.thegeneraltelegraph.com/1.1910918 |title=Mahama: Min of Power will end 'dumsor' & bring investors |date=28 November 2014 |website=Thegeneraltelegraph.com |accessdate=2015-05-28 |url-status=bot: unknown |archiveurl=https://web.archive.org/web/20150218050043/http://www.thegeneraltelegraph.com/1.1910918 |archivedate=18 February 2015}}

Ghanaian actress Yvonne Nelson then started the #dumsormuststop campaign on social media and other Ghanaian celebrities joined her. Subsequently, hundreds attended a vigil in Accra on 16 May 2015 to protest against dumsor.{{cite web |url=http://thegeneraltelegraph.com/thousands-turn-up-for-dumsormuststop-vigil/ |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20190128031841/http://thegeneraltelegraph.com/thousands-turn-up-for-dumsormuststop-vigil/ |url-status=dead |archive-date=2019-01-28 |title=Thousands turn up for #Dumsormuststop vigil |publisher=Thegeneraltelegraph.com |date=2015-05-16 |accessdate=2015-05-28}}{{cite web |title=Ghana's Load Shedding end for 2015 |url=http://newsghana.com.gh/ghanas-load-shedding-end-for-2015/ |date=30 December 2015 |website=newsghana.com.gh |publisher=News Ghana |accessdate=2015-12-30}}

The Ghanaian government has plans to diversify its energy sources, using more renewables. It is also working to encourage energy conservation.

The word has been used by the general public in Ghana since 2012{{Cite web |url=https://interactive.aljazeera.com/aje/2016/ghana-electricity-outage-dumsor/index.html |title=Dumsor: The electricity outages leaving Ghana in the dark |last1=Clerici |first1=Caterina |last2=Taylor |first2=Marisa Schwartz |last3=Taylor |first3=Kevin |date=2016 |publisher=Al Jazeera |access-date=9 May 2018}} in expressing anger, fun, mockery, worry and disappointment about the authorities and the ruling government.{{cite news |url=https://www.myjoyonline.com/entertainment/2017/september-20th/dumsor-chased-me-out-of-ghana-slim-busterr.php |title=Dumsor chased me out of Ghana - Slim Busterr |date=20 September 2017 |website=MyJoyOnline.com |access-date=9 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170920181853/https://www.myjoyonline.com/entertainment/2017/september-20th/dumsor-chased-me-out-of-ghana-slim-busterr.php |archive-date=20 September 2017}}{{Cite web |url=https://yen.com.gh/92538-black-wednesday-dumsor-plunges-ghana-flagstaff-house-total-darkness.html |title=Black Wednesday! Dumsor plunges Ghana, flagstaff house in total darkness |last=Ayitey |first=Charles |date=4 May 2017 |website=yen.com.gh |access-date=9 May 2018 |archive-url=https://web.archive.org/web/20170504124412/https://yen.com.gh/92538-black-wednesday-dumsor-plunges-ghana-flagstaff-house-total-darkness.html |archive-date=4 May 2017}}

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 said he has been nicknamed "Mr. Dumsor" due to the power crisis, which he attributed to Nigeria for not supplying gas as required to Ghana through the West Africa Gas Pipeline.

In a speech lamenting the poor electricity supply across Sub-Saharan African states, P. L. O. Lumumba, the Kenya lawyer and Pan-Africanist used the phrase dumsor dumsor making a statement that, "this dumsorization of African must stop".{{Cite web |last=russell |first=daniel |date=2015-08-30 |title=‘Dumsorisation’ of Africa must stop – Prof Lumumba |url=https://www.pulse.com.gh/ece-frontpage/energy-crisis-dumsorisation-of-africa-must-stop-prof-lumumba/djmy6et |access-date=2024-04-09 |website=Pulse Ghana |language=en}}

In recent years, Ghana has work hard to stabilize its power sector, but in 2024, the Institute for Energy Security (IES) said that the nation faces renewed threats of power crisis as 560MW of Sunon Asogli Power Plant was shut down due to debt dispute.

Sunon Asogli Power Plant is one of the largest power producers in Ghana. It provides about 12-15% of the country's electricity. {{Cite web |date=2024-10-29 |title=Shutdown of Sunon Asogli Plant: IES warns of ‘dumsor’ - MyJoyOnline |url=https://www.myjoyonline.com/shutdown-of-sunon-asogli-plant-ies-warns-of-dumsor/ |access-date=2024-10-29 |website=www.myjoyonline.com |language=en-US}}

{{Portal|Africa|Energy}}

• Electricity Company of Ghana
• Ghana Grid Company
• Northern Electricity Distribution Company
• Volta River Authority
• Sunon Asogli Thermal Power Station

{{reflist}}

Category:Power outages in Africa

Category:Society of Ghana

Category:2000s neologisms

Category:Energy in Ghana