A member of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Communication Team, Dr Stephen Issaka, has explained how the proposed 1:3:3 shift system fits into the government’s 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme.

Speaking on Metro TV’s Good Evening Ghana on Monday, August 31, 2026, Dr Issaka stressed that the 24-hour economy was not a policy that could be implemented overnight, describing it as a major transformation of Ghana’s economy.

He said the programme was intended to move Ghana away from its traditional dependence on imports and the export of low-value raw materials towards a more productive, self-reliant and globally competitive economy capable of operating around the clock.

“Look, the 24-Hour Economy is not a switch, you can just flick on and off. Historically, we as a country have been a 12-hour, our economic sort of system, basically, right down from Christmas ever to today,” he said.

According to Dr Issaka, the government’s plan represents a significant attempt to extend economic activity beyond the conventional 12-hour cycle.

“So this is a bold attempt by a government for the very first time to try and push the economy, businesses, and manufacturing beyond 12 hours,” he stated.

He explained that successful implementation of the policy would first require major improvements in infrastructure and other supporting systems.

“And so, look, 24-Hour Economy will require roads, and that's what Big Push is for. A 24-hour economy will require that banks and individuals can borrow at reasonable rates. That is in the pipeline,” Dr Issaka said.

He also identified reliable electricity as a critical requirement, arguing that businesses cannot be expected to operate continuously without a dependable power supply.

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“24-Hour Economy will require electricity around the clock. You and I will agree that at the moment, we are not dead, but we are pushing on that particular trajectory,” he said.

Dr Issaka pointed to government projects in the energy sector, including work on a gas plant, as part of measures intended to support the policy.

Beyond infrastructure and power, he said security and transportation would also have to be addressed to make round-the-clock economic activity practical.

“24-Hour Economy will require security..., would you want to go out and work in the night if you think you're not going to get transport? If you think there is no electricity, there is no light, that's a security problem. So that needs to be solved,” he said.

He maintained that once these fundamental requirements were addressed, the government could progressively move towards the full implementation of the programme.

“The 1:3:3 is supposed to be at the crescendo, at the very end of our project,” he stated.

The 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme is designed as a production-led economic transformation agenda aimed at moving Ghana from a post-colonial, import-dependent economy that largely exports raw materials towards a modern, self-reliant and globally competitive economy.

JKB/BAI

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