Member of Parliament for Damongo, Samuel Abu Jinapor, has sharply criticised the government’s proposed 24-Hour Economy Authority Bill, arguing that the flagship policy has failed to deliver jobs nearly a year into the administration.
Speaking during parliamentary consideration of the bill on Thursday, February 5, Mr. Jinapor said the much-touted three-shift, eight-hour work system remains largely theoretical and has not translated into meaningful employment for Ghana’s unemployed youth.
“Eleven months into the NDC administration, their flagship programme of a 24-hour economy, with the three-shift system for unemployed Ghanaian youth, the only place working some form of shifts today is the Office of the Speaker of Parliament, and even that is not a full 24-hour operation,” he stated.
Questions Over New Authority
Mr. Jinapor questioned the rationale behind establishing a new authority to supervise the policy, warning that it risks duplicating existing state institutions and expanding bureaucracy without results.
He pointed to the Ghana Export Promotion Authority (GEPA) as a body already positioned to drive export-led growth under a 24-hour economic framework.
“You do not need another authority to promote exports and thereby create a 24-hour economy. We already have the Ghana Export Promotion Authority, whose sole mandate is to promote exports,” he argued.
Concerns Over Political Appointments
The Damongo legislator further warned that the bill could end up serving political appointees rather than ordinary Ghanaians, creating a handful of administrative jobs while failing to tackle widespread youth unemployment.
“This is another gimmick. It is meant to buy time and give false hope to unemployed youth. This authority will only create jobs for a few — another CEO, deputy CEOs and managers — while the suffering youth from Bolgatanga to Keta, Bosome Freho, and across the length and breadth of the country remain without jobs,” he said.
Public Frustration Mounts
Mr. Jinapor concluded by cautioning that public tolerance for repeated promises without delivery is rapidly wearing thin.
“Ghanaians are tired of hope; they want action. Nearly a year on, instead of implementing the 24-hour economy, the government is asking us to create another layer of bureaucracy,” he added.
The 24-Hour Economy policy has been promoted by the government as a major tool for job creation and industrial expansion, but critics say its rollout has lacked clarity, urgency, and measurable impact.