The Chairman of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) has censured the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) for undermining his party’s vision of implementing a 24-hour economy.
According to Johnson Asiedu Nketia, the NPP is merely engaging in rhetoric due to the 24-hour economy policy outlined by the NDC’s 2024 flagbearer, John Mahama.
Speaking on JoyNews‘ Personality Profile on Friday, December 15, the NDC Chairman said, “Our opponents are just blowing hot air because that policy appears to have taken them by storm. This is not a complicated policy to adapt or implement at all.”
He stated that Ghana, which currently operates for just 8 hours, cannot compare itself and compete with European countries that operate 24 hours.
He stressed that the country has infrastructures that are being underutilised or badly utilised.
Mr Nketia stated that in every economy, there are essential services that by nature already run 24 hours, adding that “When you go to the government services, there are areas where the customer base is high, you can look at the possibility of introducing a three-hour shift system.”
“Go to the court now and look at the backlog of cases, that creates the impression that our judiciary system is not functioning. So if we have a system where we can have judges sit at night and clear all these backlogs of cases – if anybody wants to invest in the economy and knows that when he runs into a business dispute, the matter can be dealt with expeditiously, won’t he choose that economy to invest rather than going where cases will be in court for 10 years,” he said.
Mr. Asiedu Nketia was however quick to add that his party will not compel anyone to go according to the 24-hour economy.
“But when the policy is rolled out, you will see the business sense in signing up to it and it will be a win-win situation. The government will win and businesses will win. When businesses are able to win and have profits, they expand and create more jobs”, he explained.
The NDC Chairman’s remarks come on the back of some assertions made by the Vice President and NPP flagbearer for elections 2024, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia.
Dr Bawumia, in an address, alleged that Mr Mahama lacks an understanding of the policy he is promising Ghanaians.
But Mr Mahama insists the idea is a game-changer because it has been well thought through.
He pledged that the next NDC administration will pursue projects and programmes to transform Ghana into a fully-fledged 24-hour economy by optimising available resources.
He said the 24-hour economy forms part of the NDC’s vision to build the ‘Ghana we want’ and will be premised on building an industrialised, inclusive, and resilient economy that creates well-paying jobs, an equitable, healthy, and prosperous nation, and strengthening Ghana’s role in African and international affairs.
“The 24-hour economy may have finally resonated with Ghanaians. It may be classified as an idea whose time has come due to Ghana’s self-inflicted economic crisis today because the 24-hour economy initiative was well-thought-through and captured on page 105 of the NDC’s 2020 People’s Manifesto,” Mr. Mahama said.
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