How ‘dumsor’ is affecting us + call for #DumsorMustStop vigil in Tadi – Hausa Kooko sellers

• Posted on May 12, 2015May 12, 2015
• by Nana Kwesi Coomson
• Comment

Sellers of porridge, locally known as ‘hausa Kooko’ in the Sekondi Takoradi Metropolis have bemoaned how the incessant power supply, christened ‘dumsor’ is affecting their business.

Speaking to www.233times.net , Fati, ‘hausa kooko’ seller at the Fijai GNAT junction near Skyy Power FM in Takoradi revealed that, because of the unreliable power supply, she grinds the millet in bulk, days before she uses it for the kooko, unlike before when she grinds it the night before she will use it. This according to her makes the millet sour which affects the taste of the hausa kooko. Due to the sour taste of the millet, she uses more sugar when preparing the kooko which incurs more cost and the sour taste drives away customers. Same with koose, she grinds the beans in bulk days ahead of use and that also affects the taste.

Fati further revealed that, because of the sour taste of the kooko and koose, she is compelled to throw away the unsold. “I used to throw them away but, I now have some small boys I give it to when I am not able to sell everything. So every 12pm, they come to my house for the kooko,” Fati lamented.

Asking her if she will join the #DumsorMustStop vigil should it hit Sekondi-Takoradi, she shouted, “yea, papa! I will join it because this is really affecting my business and not only that, last 2 days, my house nearly got burnt because we were using candle when the light was off and one of my children whilst asleep kicked the candle into the dirty clothes which started burning. My eldest son woke up to turn it off, like we would have heard in the news that, 6 children were burnt to death. They should bring the vigil to Takoradi, I will join.”

Hajia, another seller also shared similar frustration and said the managers of the country should do something about the dumsor because it is affecting businesses.

The kooko and koose sellers farm out the grinding of their ingredients to corn mill operators and due to the dumsor, the operations of corn mill machines are heavily affected.

Author: Nana Kwesi Coomson (www.233times.net) @nkcoomson on Twitter