President John Dramani Mahama says his administration has hit the ground running with the implementation of the much-anticipated 24-hour economy initiative.
Addressing the nation on Wednesday, May 7, as part of his 120-day performance report, President Mahama noted that key legal reforms and institutional alignments have already begun to lay the foundation for a fully operational round-the-clock economic system.
The 24-hour economy was a flagship promise made by the National Democratic Congress in the run-up to the 2024 elections.
It proposed a shift in the country’s economic structure to enable businesses to operate continuously—day and night—thereby boosting productivity, creating jobs, and revitalising sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, and tourism.
Critics, however, questioned the feasibility of the plan, describing it as an ambitious dream with no clear implementation path.
Some civil society actors and members of the opposition New Patriotic Party (NPP) even labeled it as a campaign gimmick with no realistic timelines.
“The programme rollout has commenced in earnest. The 24-hour Secretariat is collaborating with the Development Bank of Ghana and the Ghana Infrastructure Investment Fund to mobilise financing for this programme,” the President noted in his address.
He revealed that Cabinet has already approved amendments to the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre Act and the Labour Act to incorporate specific clauses supporting 24-hour operations.
“These amendments aim to enhance social protection, create an enabling environment for the 24-hour economy policy, and promote conducive business and labour relations,” he reported.
Highlighting further progress, he noted that the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre has launched a premium 24-hour investor service, while the Ministry of Foreign Affairs now runs a 24-hour passport service.
President Mahama also mentioned plans by the Youth Employment Agency to launch a Graduate in Corporate Support (GRICS) programme that will attach 20,000 graduates to companies operating around the clock.
“We’re pursuing new avenues of job creation. The Ghana Publishing Company Limited has also begun 24-hour printing operations as part of our one-day delivery commitment,” he stated.
