The Member of Parliament for Kpando, Hon. Sebastian Deh, has described the passage of the 24-Hour Economy Authority Bill into law as a major turning point in Ghana’s quest to boost productivity and strengthen local production.
Speaking in an interview after Parliament passed the Bill, Hon. Deh said the new law provides firm legal backing to the 24-Hour Economy programme, moving it beyond policy rhetoric into enforceable national strategy.
“The issue of leapfrogging productivity and production — ensuring that we eat, drink and use more goods produced in Ghana — is now grounded in law,” he stated.
According to him, while a Secretariat had already been established at the Presidency to oversee the implementation of the programme, the creation of a legally backed Authority significantly strengthens the initiative.
“Now we have legal backing. That changes everything. The Secretariat and all those implementing the policies, programmes and action plans will operate with something palpable — something grounded in law,” he explained.
Investor Confidence and Institutional Certainty
Hon. Deh emphasised that the establishment of the 24-Hour Economy Authority sends a strong signal to both local and foreign investors.
“Anyone — be it an investor from within or outside the shores of this country — now knows they are dealing with an entity that has legal backing. That certainty is critical,” he said.
He described this institutional framework as essential for attracting private sector participation and ensuring sustained economic transformation.
A Structured Policy Framework
The Kpando legislator noted that the programme is anchored in a comprehensive policy and project document, which outlines the roadmap for implementation across key productive sectors of the economy.
“Nothing can be achieved without planning. We have gone through the process of producing a detailed policy document — a real project document — that serves as our point of reference,” he indicated.
According to him, the document identifies productive sectors where Ghana holds comparative advantage and outlines the technical support and interventions required to increase output.
He clarified that the programme is not designed to operate in isolation but is carefully targeted.
“It is not everything that we can do in Ghana. We are focusing on areas where we have comparative advantage. Once these sectors are strengthened and the private sector is brought in — especially those with experience in turning economies around — we will make headway,” he added.
Pragmatic Expectations
While expressing optimism about the long-term impact of the policy, Hon. Deh cautioned against unrealistic short-term expectations.
“I am not going to say that within one year unemployment will move from this level to that level. But with the pragmatic measures that have been put in place, why not? We will make progress,” he concluded.
The 24-Hour Economy Authority is expected to coordinate and oversee the implementation of policies aimed at expanding production cycles, creating jobs, enhancing industrial capacity, and promoting Ghanaian-made goods.
Source: Clement Akoloh||parliamentnews360.com
