Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu says the newly launched 24-hour economy policy by President John Dramani Mahama will be driven by the private sector, not the government.
Speaking on PM Express, the Tamale South MP emphasized that government’s role will be limited to creating an enabling environment for businesses to thrive under the initiative.
“What was profound is for the President to remark publicly that the 24-hour economy will be private sector-led, and that it will not be dominated by government,” he said. “Government will only be an enabler, a facilitator, for the private sector to take up the initiative in the various sectors of the economy.”
His remarks followed the official unveiling of the 24-hour economy blueprint by President Mahama on July 2. Haruna described the launch as a “rare opportunity” and “not a nerve-breaking exercise at all” for the president, who he said has been contemplating the initiative for several years.
“He launched the 24-hour policy and the Accelerated Export Development Initiative of his government, and shared with the Ghanaian people that this has been in his thinking and contemplation in the last four or more years,” he noted. “He’s talked about it whilst being out of government, and expedited it due to the current economic realities.”
Haruna cited alarming figures shared by the president to highlight the urgency of boosting local production:
“About $3 billion on rice imports, $3.4 billion on cereal grains, $2.6 billion on frozen poultry, and $2.4 billion on other imported goods.”
He said the policy is a direct response to Ghana’s dependency on imports and the need to build a self-sustaining economy.
“It means that the President wants to respond to a national need – a need for us to invest more in, in his words, a self-reliant, food-sufficient country that can feed itself and guarantee food security,” he stressed.
Haruna also highlighted the strategic importance of appointing businessman and policy expert Goosie Tanoh to lead the implementation of the programme.
“That is why he’s gotten Goosie Tanoh, one of the sharpest and brilliant minds of the NDC, to be the anchor person to guide him in implementing the 24-hour economy.”
He added that the president is committed to moving beyond slogans and delivering real economic change.
“From policy or from slogan to action – that is the 24-hour-plus initiative of the president,” he said. “This is not an event or a race which must end today.”
ALSO READ:
