The Minister of Labour, Jobs and Employment, Dr Abdul Rashid Pelpuo is urging the private sector to absorb more of the country’s workforce as Ghana begins implementing its 24-Hour Economy policy.

His call follows the official launch of the programme by President John Dramani Mahama on Wednesday, July 2, 2025.

Speaking on Hot Issues on TV3 on Monday, July 7, 2025, and monitored by GhanaWeb Business, Dr Pelpuo said the government cannot shoulder the responsibility of job creation alone.

“We cannot continue like this. The burden is heavy. This policy is a reset, a shift to make labour more productive and better aligned with economic development,” he said.

While the government will continue to create jobs, particularly in infrastructure and security services, Dr Pelpuo emphasised that the private sector must lead the way in employment creation for the policy to succeed.

“We’re looking to transition employment from the public to the private sector by encouraging companies like MTN, mining firms, and banks to hire more. This will reduce pressure on government and free up resources for critical public investments,” he said.

The 24-Hour Economy is designed to create 1.7 million jobs over four years through a shift-based system that supports continuous operations in industries with capacity for extended work hours.

Dr Pelpuo noted that the initiative goes beyond just scheduling adjustments it’s about realigning the labour market to meet the demands of a modern, industrializing economy, with the private sector expected to take the lead.

SP/MA

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