Labor consultant, Austin Gamey, has commended the 24-hour economy policy by former President, John Dramani Mahama, revealing that such a policy is bound to create elevated cities across the country.

According to him, the policy is not merely a gamechanger, but it’s going to be the dominance of everything and anything undertaken here in the country.

He indicated that reason why Ghana is so “backward” as a nation is simply because governments have not managed the country well, and it’s about time the country discovers what’s appropriate.

“… I see it that the 24-hour economy will create elevated cities across Ghana – not Accra, Kumasi, Ho, Tema, but everywhere as a pulsating, glamorous place where activities will always be happening… Above all, I think we have now arrived, this is a major steppingstone to fulfill the constitutional provision under Article 36 of the 1992 Constitution…”
Austin Gamey

Furthermore, Mr Gamey reckoned that a 24-hour economy is a “planned economy that gives people a sense of belonging, not by default”. He explained that because Ghanaians have been living with a kind of partisan, political economy, they assume that should be the actual occurrence.

However, he noted that the country is in a “complete abyss”, as such, there is therefore the need to practice an inclusive economy to open the door for decent job creation, enhanced productivity, assurance of return on investments of those who will invest, collaboration and cooperation.

“This in turn creates an environment in which people feel that they are part of the national agenda – not a parochial feeling of anyone. When people feel they are part of a national economic agenda, they care for it.”
Austin Gamey

Mr Gamey contended that any aspirant who will emerge as the President of the country in the 2024 election and whose agenda and vision will not be based on the directive principle of state policy is a failure to begin with. He stated that such a person cannot be allowed to participate in the elections in the first place.

“Anyone whose vision is not going to propel the nation into real stardom should forget it.”
Austin Gamey

Implementation of 24-hour economy

Commenting on the implementation and feasibility of the relatively new 24-hour economy policy, Mr Gamey stated that although there have been attacks against the policy, with the Vice President, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, describing is as a “bad idea”, the policy can indeed be achieved.

He revealed that government has a “terrible unemployment situation” on its hand and that the 24-hour economy can help address that.

“I’ll say it’s simple but not simpler… I don’t see anything IMF that will be a hindrance to the move of this 24-hour economy… It’s going to be nothing but the economy of Ghana [running] 24 hours. You can’t sleep and expect that we’ll be a first world ever in this world.
“We can make it and I strongly believe that if the former President is very serious and I believe he is serious, and he will lay out as I’ve seen few of the snippets from him, based on Article 36, and it’s not going to be just a figure of speech, [it can be achieved]…”
Austin Gamey

Moreover, Mr Gamey expressed that going forward, conversations should not be centered on anything other than the economy of Ghana based on the 24-hour policy because that is what the constitution prescribes government to undertake.

He recommended that government must ensure to put in the work because Ghana is an “unproductive nation” and must be productive.

“To be productive, the harbor must open 24 hours, and people will have to clear their things 24 hours. It has to be an induced economy – the economy has to be planned and executed by people without pride, without partisan consideration. The whole nation is one constituency for the President and therefore, the President must make use of the human resource material available at his disposal. If we plan the economy well, the 24-hour economy we are talking about will not be a figure of speech, it will be something real…”
Austin Gamey