'Where are the 24-Hour Economy jobs' — Afenyo-Markin slams gov't for silence in 2026 budget

Minority Leader Alexander Afenyo-Markin has launched a sharp attack on the government, accusing it of abandoning its much-promoted 24-Hour Economy policy in the 2026 Budget despite months of assurances that the initiative would deliver thousands of jobs.

Speaking shortly after Finance Minister Dr Cassiel Ato Forson presented the 2026 Budget Statement in Parliament, Afenyo-Markin said the omission raises serious doubts about the government’s sincerity and preparedness to implement what it has consistently advertised as a transformative employment strategy.

According to him, Ghanaians were promised a bold, round-the-clock economic model that would expand opportunities through shift-based jobs, yet the budget document offered no explicit detail on its execution. “When Ghanaians voted for the NDC, they said they were bringing them jobs. They said they would do this through their flagship 24-Hour Economy — one job running three shifts to provide three jobs,” he remarked.

The Minority Leader argued that communities such as Ga Mashie, where youth unemployment remains high, have been expecting clarity on how the policy will materialise. Instead, he said, the budget has left them with more questions than answers. “Go to Ga Mashie and other places; the youth there are asking where the jobs are or the 24-Hour Economy. But the budget didn't even mention it. Yet you have MPs singing about a policy they cannot even see,” he said.

This reaction followed Dr Forson’s announcement that the government is projecting GH¢268.1 billion in total revenue and grants for 2026, representing an 18.3 percent increase over the 2025 projection of GH¢226.7 billion. The Finance Minister also stated that the government aims to create up to 800,000 new jobs and has allocated GH¢110 million in 2026 to support the 24-Hour Economy Programme as part of broader efforts to stimulate growth and productivity.

Despite this allocation, the Minority Leader insists that the absence of a clear roadmap in the budget undermines confidence in the policy and leaves citizens uncertain about the government’s employment promises.