The Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Richard Ahiagbah, has said the 24-hour economy idea that is being touted by the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Dramani Mahama is not a new concept.
Mr Mahama proposed the ’24hr Economy ‘ project when he met with officials of the country’s mother workers union on Tuesday, November 7, 2023 at the start of his engagement with key stakeholders in a quest to return to power.
Dubbed ‘Building Ghana Tour’, the interactions with the stakeholders is to apprise them of the policies the next NDC administration will implement to transform the economy.
At Tuesday’s engagement, he said “NDC was left alone as the solitary voice seeking to hold the government accountable and speaking up for the voiceless Ghanaian and we were often cast out as spoilt brats who were ranting just because we have lost power.
“Today, the chickens have come home to roost and we are all affected.”
But in a statement, Mr Ahiagbah said, “the NDC should stop posturing as though the concept of a 24-hour economy is an original idea coughed up by H.E John Mahama. It is not a new idea, at all. When John Mahama was Vice President in 2009, Kenya constituted a National 24-hour Economy Steering Committee to explore the idea. JM became President in 2012-2016, why did he not implement the 24-hour economy because the idea was available to him to copy? Was it because of Dumsor? Or the 24-hour economy does not require stable electricity?”
“The truth is that the 24-hour economy is not a standalone idea or policy. It requires enabling factors like industrialization or manufacturing, energy, tourism, and associated policies or factors to drive it. In other words, a 24-hour economy cannot happen in a vacuum. So, it is not the first thing to say that, I will introduce a 24-hour economy, and boom it becomes a game changer! First, JM must start by discussing his enabling factors plan that will give impetus to the 24-hour economy.
“Until we see JM’s enabling policy plan, his 24-hour economy idea remains a populist stunt akin to a student who vows to score straight A’s but is known to be such a student or does not have a study plan that demonstrates how he/she would arrive at the desired result of straight A’s. It is just talk at this point. Populism as always.
“The NDC cannot be an alternative for Ghana, because their policy bag is empty…there is nothing in there to offer Ghanaians. My plea is for Ghanaians to keep faith with the NPP because we have the answers, and we will deliver. The economy is coming back…Dr. Bawumia is the man to continue the economic recovery.“