24-hour economy is doable, but must be premised on effective demand – Oppong Nkrumah

The Member of Parliament for Ofoase-Ayirebi, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has argued that while Ghana’s proposed 24-hour economy is achievable, its success will depend largely on the presence of effective consumer demand.

The policy, introduced as a flagship initiative of President John Dramani Mahama’s administration, aims to encourage businesses to operate beyond traditional working hours.

Following parliamentary debates, the 24-Hour Economy Authority Bill was passed, and an authority has been established to coordinate its implementation.

Speaking in an interview on TV3 Ghana on February 22, 2026, the former Housing Minister questioned the practicality of sustaining round-the-clock operations without sufficient market activity to justify the cost.

He cited the example of GIHOC, which initially announced 24-hour operations but later scaled back after determining that it was not economically viable.

“Let’s go there to see whether indeed there will be customers showing up after the 8-hour shift to do all these transactions they talk about,” he remarked, stressing that businesses respond primarily to economic incentives rather than directives.

Oppong Nkrumah maintained that the concept can work if underpinned by strong economic fundamentals.

“It is doable, but it must be premised on effective demand. When you have created an economy that has demand, you do not need to set up an authority to tell people to go and work 24 hours,” he stated.

He illustrated his point with a practical example, noting that a shop owner would naturally remain open if customers were present late at night with money to spend.

According to him, the priority should be stimulating demand within the economy, rather than relying solely on administrative structures to enforce extended working hours.

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