Richard Anning, an NPP Tema Central Communications member, has criticised President John Dramani Mahama over the government’s 24-hour economy policy, describing it as a campaign slogan that has yet to be fully implemented. He argued that the president had failed to deliver on his promise of creating a system where one job would operate across three shifts with three different workers.
Speaking on Plan B FM’s Nkosuonsem, hosted by Obidehyie Kofi Sekyi, Richard Anning questioned the practical implementation of the policy, challenging its proponents to name a government institution currently operating three shifts with different staff members. He cited the Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA), asking whether its offices had three managing directors, general managers, secretaries and accountants to cover the different shifts, including at 1 a.m.
Anning explained that a functional 24-hour economy requires more than simply extending business operating hours. He identified reliable water supply, electricity and internet connectivity as essential components that must be strengthened to support round-the-clock economic activities. However, he maintained that improving these services alone would not establish a 24-hour economy without a clear system for organising workers into shifts.
He distinguished between 24-hour services and a fully operational 24-hour economy, citing pharmacies that sell medicines at night, banks that allow customers to withdraw money through mobile banking and interoperability services, and the Electricity Company of Ghana (ECG), whose digital systems allow customers to purchase electricity at any time. He also noted that people in the insurance industry can renew their policies online whenever the relevant systems are available. According to him, these services demonstrate the benefits of digitalisation but do not necessarily mean that the country has established a comprehensive 24-hour economy.
The NPP Tema Central Communications member further argued that digitalisation initiatives championed by former Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia had already made it possible for people to access certain services outside conventional working hours. He said the key issue was whether the government could demonstrate that institutions and businesses were operating under the three-shift arrangement described by President Mahama. He maintained that the president’s definition of the policy had not been reflected in the operations of government institutions.
Anning also accused President Mahama of using propaganda to win political power and subsequently abandoning some of his campaign promises. He cited the promise of automatic postings for teachers and nurses, claiming that the commitment had not been fulfilled as expected. He insisted that the government must demonstrate tangible progress rather than rely on slogans and assurances.
He concluded that although improvements in water supply, electricity and internet connectivity were important to economic development, the government needed to establish a clear and practical framework for implementing the 24-hour economy. He maintained that until businesses and institutions could demonstrate the promised shift system and its impact on employment, the policy could not be regarded as fully operational.
By: Ernest Kumi
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