One half of the popular Ghanaian duo Keche, Keche Andrew, has revealed his unique strategy for dealing with the scorching heat during power outages, locally known as ‘dumsor.’
In an interview with Elsie Lamar on GhanaWeb’s Talkertainment, Andrew shared his secret to staying cool during night blackouts.
“Nowadays, the light goes off at night when one is asleep. You wake up from sleep abruptly and find out you’re sweating. You start to sweat even in your dreams,” he lamented, highlighting the discomfort caused by frequent power cuts.
To combat this, Andrew disclosed that he resorts to sleeping next to his refrigerator, with its door open, allowing the cool air to circulate and keep him cold.
“As for me, I sweat a lot. Also most of the time, I feel too lazy to go downstairs to refill the diesel and start the generator so I just find means to keep me cold a bit,” he explained.
Moreover, Andrew mentioned using his wife’s portable, rechargeable fans, often used for drying makeup, as an additional measure to beat the heat during ‘dumsor.’
“I’ve had to resort to rechargeable fans lately. And when those run out of power, I use the compact ones my wife uses for her makeup,” he added.
However, his coping mechanisms were not without criticism.
Andrew criticized the government’s handling of ‘dumsor,’ noting a lack of acknowledgment and effective measures to address the issue.
“Our former president owned up to the ‘dumsor’ issues during his term and gave us a schedule. But now, we face a government that won’t admit to the current state of affairs,” he remarked.
Expressing frustration over the politicization of societal issues, Andrew emphasized the need for citizens to voice concerns without fear of being labeled or associated with political affiliations.
“Our president once said we shouldn’t be mere spectators but should voice our concerns. Yet, in our country, when we speak up, we’re quickly labeled and boxed into political affiliations,” he pointed out.
In conclusion, Keche Andrew’s story sheds light on the challenges faced by Ghanaians during ‘dumsor’ and the innovative ways individuals are coping with the heat and discomfort caused by frequent power outages.