NDC Using 24-Hour Markets to Cover Failure to Implement 24-Hour Economy — Okyere Baafi
NPP lawmaker says the government is replacing its flagship 24-hour economy promise with market projects, insisting the two are fundamentally different policies
Date: August 20 , 2026
By: Ebenezer Adugyamfi/ Emmanuel Ayiku for GhanaianNewsCanada
The Ranking Member on Parliament’s Trade, Industry and Tourism Committee, Michael Okyere Baafi, has accused the governing National Democratic Congress (NDC) of using its newly announced 24-hour market projects to conceal what he describes as the government’s failure to implement its flagship 24-hour economy policy.
According to the New Juaben South Member of Parliament, the 24-hour market initiative is an entirely different concept from the 24-hour economy promised by the NDC during the 2024 general elections and should not be presented as evidence that the government has fulfilled its campaign commitment.
Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Afternoon Ghana programme, Mr Okyere Baafi argued that the two initiatives have different objectives, structures and implementing agencies.
“The 24-hour market is not the same as 24-hour economy. I’m telling you, 24-hour economy is not 24-hour market. Two distinct initiatives,” he said.
24-hour economy versus 24-hour markets
Mr Okyere Baafi explained that the 24-hour economy was introduced by the NDC as a national economic transformation policy designed to encourage businesses and industries to operate around the clock through incentives, job creation and increased productivity.
He noted that the policy was expected to be coordinated by the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat under the Office of the President, with a broader focus on manufacturing, agro-processing, logistics, services and industrial growth.
The newly introduced 24-hour markets, he argued, are market infrastructure projects that fall within the responsibilities of the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development rather than the Presidency’s economic transformation agenda.
According to him, presenting market projects as the implementation of the 24-hour economy amounts to misleading the Ghanaian public.
‘This is an afterthought’
The NPP MP described the market initiative as a substitute introduced after the government realised it was struggling to deliver the original policy.
“This is just an afterthought. When they thought that they were failing, clearly they were not able to achieve the targets of working on the 24-hour economy, they said, ‘Okay, let us try to substitute the 24-hour economy with the 24-hour markets,’” he claimed.
He maintained that while constructing modern markets may benefit traders and improve commercial infrastructure, it should not be confused with the wider economic policy that was marketed to Ghanaians during the election campaign.
What the NDC promised
The 24-hour economy was one of the centrepieces of President John Dramani Mahama’s 2024 manifesto.
The policy proposed creating an enabling environment for selected businesses and industries to operate 24 hours a day through three work shifts, supported by incentives such as lower electricity tariffs during off-peak hours, tax incentives, improved security and financing support for strategic industries.
According to the NDC’s policy framework, the strategy targets sectors including manufacturing, agro-processing, pharmaceuticals, construction, sanitation, digital services, retail and transportation with the aim of creating sustainable jobs and boosting exports.
Supporters of the policy argue that it is not about forcing people to work around the clock, but about creating conditions that allow businesses to voluntarily extend operations and increase productivity.
Government has defended the policy
Government officials have consistently rejected claims that the 24-hour economy has been abandoned.
The NDC has maintained that the policy is a comprehensive economic strategy and that projects such as 24-hour markets form part of broader efforts to support commercial activity, improve infrastructure and create employment.
Officials have also argued that implementation is taking place in phases and should not be judged solely by a single intervention.
Schools demolition criticism
Beyond the policy debate, Mr Okyere Baafi also criticised reports that some educational facilities are being demolished to pave the way for market projects.
He questioned the government’s priorities, arguing that development should not come at the expense of educational infrastructure.
His comments add another layer to the growing political disagreement over the rollout of the 24-hour market initiative.
A growing political debate
The disagreement between the NPP and NDC reflects a broader national debate over one of the Mahama administration’s flagship economic promises.
For the opposition, the key issue is whether the government has begun implementing the 24-hour economy exactly as promised in its manifesto.
For the government, the emphasis remains on rolling out programmes and infrastructure that support extended commercial activity and job creation as part of the wider policy.
As implementation continues, Ghanaians are likely to judge the initiative not only by the construction of new markets but also by whether the promised incentives, industrial expansion and employment opportunities materialise.
For now, Michael Okyere Baafi insists that 24-hour markets cannot replace the 24-hour economy, while the government maintains that its broader economic transformation agenda is still on course
