There cannot be 24-hour economy when gov’t can’t keep the lights on — Jerry Ahmed

The Member of Parliament for Weija Gbawe and Second Deputy Minority Chief Whip, Jerry Ahmed Shaib, has questioned the feasibility of the government’s proposed 24-hour economy policy.

His comments come as the country continues to grapple with intermittent power outages, affecting businesses, industries and households.

The 24-hour economy policy, a flagship promise of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) ahead of the 2024 elections, is aimed at boosting productivity and job creation through a three-shift system.

Speaking on Accra-based Starr FM on Monday, April 27, Ahmed Shaib said the current power situation undermines the foundation needed to implement such a policy.

“There is nothing like a 24-hour economy when you cannot even keep the lights on for eight hours, let alone 12 hours, let alone 24 hours,” he stated.

He argued that reliable electricity supply is a basic requirement for any round-the-clock economic system to function effectively.

The lawmaker further criticised the government’s overall performance, arguing that little has been achieved beyond isolated policy decisions.

“This is how bad this government is… there is nothing to do with a 24-hour economy under these conditions,” he said.

He stressed that until the power crisis is resolved, any attempt to implement a 24-hour economy will face serious challenges.