Minister of State in charge of Special Initiatives, Dr Abdul-Rashid Pelpuo, has revealed that more than 400 companies have expressed interest in operating under Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy policy.

His remarks come as the government’s flagship policy continues to face questions over its impact, more than a year after implementation began.

During an interview on Channel One TV on Thursday, August 27, 2026, he said the 24-Hour Economy policy was designed to encourage businesses to operate beyond traditional working hours to increase productivity, expand economic activity and create more jobs.

“We have listed more than 400 companies that are saying, ‘We want to run the 24-hour economy policy,’” Dr Pelpuo said.

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Dr Pelpuo said the policy was mainly aimed at creating the right environment for private businesses to operate continuously, rather than simply extending working hours at government institutions.

“I’ve visited about 10 companies in this country, from company to company, and they tell me they are working 24 hours,” he said.

According to the minister, the government is working with businesses to identify and address the challenges that could prevent them from operating throughout the day and night.

“The fact is that we are creating an avenue for the private sector to take advantage of and do it. And that’s exactly what we are doing,” he stated.

He said the government was also supporting businesses by providing some of the key requirements needed to sustain 24-hour operations, including a reliable power supply.

“That advantage we’ve given has given the private sector the room to engage more, to ask for aid. And we are supporting them, you know, by providing the needed power that they will require,” Dr Pelpuo said.

The minister further rejected suggestions that the success of the policy should be judged only by whether ministries and other public institutions had introduced shift systems.

“When you are talking about job creation and when you are talking about employment, it’s not just government employing people. We are talking about a holistic economic approach,” he said.

ANAS/MA

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