24-Hour economy policy is deceptive without funding – Amin Adam

Former Finance Minister Dr. Mohammed Amin Adam has expressed skepticism about the practicality of the Mahama government’s proposed 24-hour economy policy, arguing that the 2025 Budget fails to provide a concrete plan for its execution.

The policy, designed to create jobs and enhance productivity across all sectors, was a central campaign promise. However, Dr. Amin Adam contends that despite references to the initiative in the budget, there is no detailed strategy or funding allocation to support its implementation.

“You take the budget and look at it, there were only references to the 24-hour economy. There’s no programme on the implementation of the 24-hour economy. And once there’s no programme on the implementation, it would mean that there’s no allocation of funds towards the implementation,” he stated during an interview on The Point of View with Bernard Avle on Channel One TV on Monday, March 17.

He further questioned Finance Minister Dr. Ato Forson’s assurance that the initiative would be launched later in 2025, insisting that without budgetary support, the plan remains unrealistic.

“The finance minister said they would launch it later this year, but even if you launch it and there’s no allocation, how do you even implement that? Are you going to launch and wait till 2026, when you have to make allocation to really implement the 24-hour economy? So, this is deceptive as far as job creation is concerned,” he argued.

Dr. Amin Adam’s remarks add to ongoing debates over the viability of the 24-hour economy policy and its potential impact on Ghana’s economic growth.