By Emmanuel Owusu, the National President of the Graduate Students’ Association of Ghana (GRASAG), has expressed enthusiasm for the 24-hour economy proposal put forth by John Dramani Mahama, the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC).
Owusu believes that this policy holds the potential to substantially reshape Ghana’s economic landscape, offering opportunities for significant growth.
The initiative aims to facilitate the operation of select businesses and companies around the clock, thereby enhancing productivity, competitiveness, and employment opportunities.
During the presentation of the GRASAG research report on “The 24-Hour Economy,” Mr. Owusu shared his perspectives, expressing hope that the recommendations outlined in the report would be given due consideration should Mr. Mahama be re-elected to office.
He emphasized that the establishment of a 24-hour economy would profoundly affect information technology and internet accessibility, essential elements for thriving in the digital age.
According to Mr. Owusu, the implementation of the 24-hour economy will lead to heightened productivity, job creation, improved service provision, alignment with Ghana’s socio-economic goals, promotion of innovation, attraction of foreign direct investment, sustainable development, and positioning Ghana as a formidable global contender.
“For prospects which in a way I’ve mentioned, it will also have some impact on information technology and now we are in a digital world and most of the things we do are driven by information technology and of course, once you are implementing a 24-hour economy, it will require that you improve the internet access.
“We already have a strong fibre, we may want to look at bettering our internet service. Recently when there was an internet crisis, we were really in deep waters. We are saying that if we want to implement a 24-hour economy, we might want to look at that.
“Implementing a 24-hour economy will increase productivity, create jobs, and enhance service delivery, aligns with Ghana’s socio-economic objectives. It will stimulate innovations, attract foreign drive investment, foster sustainable growth and position Ghana as a global competitor.
“So these are some of the views that our colleagues across the country have shared with us. We believe that the 24-hour economy is something that will transform the republic. We know that the former president has hinted, for us as GRASAG, it’s our prayer that when he gets the nod to become the president, he’ll consider some of these recommendations.”
