Unemployment continues to be one of the biggest challenges facing successive governments, threatening the stability and growth of Ghana’s economy.

In response, government has rolled out the 24-Hour Economy policy, aimed at creating jobs and boosting productivity.

According to the Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana National Chamber of Commerce and Industry (GNCCI), Mark Badu Aboagye, the initiative must go beyond rhetoric.

He added that while the 24-Hour Economy is a “brilliant idea,” it risks becoming a mere political slogan unless the private sector is fully engaged and supported.

Speaking on Joy News’ PM Express, he stressed that government alone cannot solve the unemployment crisis, noting that it employs only 6% of the labour force, while the private sector absorbs the remaining 94%.

Badu Aboagye entreated government to create an enabling environment for the private sector to thrive.

“There is no way government alone can solve the unemployment problem we have. The government employs just 6% of the total labour. For just 6%, the 94% or so is being employed by the private sector. So just create the right environment…So it’s the private sector that we must empower. We must create the right conditions,” Mark Badu Aboagye said.

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“So to solve this problem, it shouldn’t be just a political slogan and say, 24-hour economy. They are a brilliant idea. But how is the private sector taking it up? I think that to be able to solve this, one approach is to also look at our investors,” he added.

On February 19, 2026, President Mahama signed into law the 24-Hour Economy Authority Bill, providing the legal framework for its rollout.

The programme, launched in 2025 as part of the administration’s flagship economic strategies, is expected to tackle youth unemployment and drive growth across multiple sectors.

The initiative also forms part of the government’s broader economic reset agenda, which includes fiscal consolidation, debt restructuring, and measures to restore macroeconomic stability following Ghana’s recent economic crisis.

SA

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