The Minority Spokesperson on Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah, has expressed strong reservations about the newly passed 24-Hour Economy Authority Bill, insisting it will not result in a genuine 24-hour work cycle as widely anticipated.
Speaking in an interview on Hot Issues on TV3 Ghana, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah said a careful reading of the legislation shows that it does not mandate state or private institutions to operate around the clock.
“I say with a lot of pain and I regret to say that what they have passed will not deliver a 24-Hour work cycle in this country. We will be here,” he stated.
According to him, contrary to public expectations, the bill does not contain any binding provisions compelling agencies to run 24-hour operations.
“When you read the bill, nowhere in the bill does it say they are going to cause even state agencies or private agencies to work for 24 hours. The 1-3-3 they gave us, nowhere in the bill will you find it,” he argued.
Parliament passed the 24-Hour Economy Authority Bill, 2025 on Friday, February 6, 2026, after extensive debate between the Majority and Minority caucuses.
The law seeks to establish a 24-Hour Economy Authority to spearhead the implementation of the government’s 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme. The Authority is expected to coordinate nationwide implementation, mobilise investment, align public and private sector participation, and ensure that the necessary infrastructure and regulatory systems are in place to support continuous economic activity.
However, Mr. Oppong Nkrumah maintains that the creation of the Authority alone does not automatically translate into a nationwide shift system.
“What they have created is a very crafty institution to dangle in the face of young Ghanaians that the 24-Hour bill has been passed so something is happening. Absolutely nothing is happening,” he said.
He reiterated that without explicit legal backing to compel institutions to operate in shifts, the policy risks falling short of its central promise.
“I say with a lot of pain and I regret to say that what they have passed will not deliver a 24-Hour work cycle in this country. We will be here,” he stressed.
Source: Mybrytfmonline.com/Joseph Asare
