Chief Priest of La, Nii Yemo Obroni VII, says there is no ban on noise-making in the area see no cultural impediment to the celebrity-led protest on May 16 dubbed #Dumsormuststop.
He told Joy News that “no at all. In the La land, everybody is making noise. You can make noise. You can do everything you like….any noise, anything!” he stressed.
His reaction comes after the Ga traditional council petitioned the Ghana Police noting that an intended protest by some entertainers would contravene its ban on noise-making currently in place.
The protest against poor handling of the energy crisis is expected to come off at the Tetteh Quarshie area on May 16.
Yvonne Nelson will lead some of her colleagues in the one-kilometre walk and vigil
The Ga Chief’s petition had therefore suggested that the ban extended to all Ga/Dangbe traditional areas.
“That’s not true”, the chief priest explained, adding that the location of the Dumsor vigil falls within the La traditional area.
He said the La traditional area covers Ayi Mensa, Oyarifa, Adenta, Madina, Legon, Tetteh Quarshie, 37 Military Hospital to La.
He said the ban on noise-making there may start on 15 July.
He explained the historic significance of protests within La. According to the chief priest, the 28 February 1948 riots happened within the La area.
The Accra Riots started on 28 February 1948.
It was a protest march by unarmed ex-servicemen. But it was broken up by police, leaving several leaders of the group dead. Amongst those killed were three former soldiers Sergeant Adjetey, Corporal Attipoe and Private Odartey Lamptey.
The riots galvanized the struggle for independence and led to the formation of the first ruling party, the Convention Peoples Party headed by Dr. Kwame Nkrumah.
He backed the dumsor vigil and requested that if the leaders needed anybody to lead it or pray to the gods before the vigil, he would be available.
Recounting his own experience in the current energy crisis, he revealed that as a businessman he has had to lay off some of his workers in his stores.
His business is suffering, he stated.
The traditional leader explained that the energy crisis is not about politics but is an expression of dissatisfaction at the three-year-old national irritant.
“We are ready to support what is going on”, the chief priest of La said.