An associate of the Institute of Economic Research and Public Policy (IERPP), P.K. Sarpong, has taken a strong swipe at former President John Mahama’s flagship 24-hour economy policy, describing it as “idealistic at best” and lacking any real foundation for execution.
Speaking in an interview with Asaase Radio, Sarpong didn’t mince words about what he believes is a glaring shortfall in Mahama’s promise to turn Ghana into a round-the-clock working economy.
“We all saw how difficult it would be for Mahama to implement his 24-hour economy. We had cause to state that it was more of an aspiration than a concrete policy. The people did not listen to us, but now look at where we are,” he said.
Sarpong went on to describe the 24-hour economy promise as an illusion, accusing Mahama and the National Democratic Congress (NDC) of lacking a well-defined roadmap to turn the idea into reality.
“Mahama will implement a 24-hour economy. There is no policy or blueprint for its implementation. The ‘policy’ exists in the mind of the president. It is idealistic at best, since its implementation is difficult under the current circumstances. Ghanaians were clearly deceived.”
The 24-hour economy, which formed a key campaign message for the NDC in the 2024 general elections, was sold as a transformative initiative to create jobs, improve productivity, and stimulate economic growth. However, critics like Sarpong argue that the policy was more political rhetoric than a viable plan.
His comments follow growing public scrutiny of the feasibility of such a large-scale initiative, especially in light of recent hikes in electricity tariffs and broader economic challenges that could affect infrastructure, labour logistics, and energy supply — all crucial elements of a 24-hour operational economy.
