William Atta Owusu, popularly known as “Dr Pudong,” says his widely criticised comments on the National Democratic Congress’ (NDC) 24-hour economy policy during the 2024 election campaign were a deliberate political strategy to draw public attention to the party’s flagship programme.
According to him, the policy had received little public attention at the time, prompting him to present it in a way that would spark national discussion and give the NDC the opportunity to explain it to Ghanaians.
Speaking on Asempa FM’s Ekosii Sen, Mr. Owusu said he never intended to ridicule or undermine the policy.
“You have to be strategic when doing politics. At the time, the 24-hour economy had died because the presentation was low. To create attention for the policy, I had to make it juicy. Truthfully, it worked and there was attention on the policy. It gave the party the needed opportunity to explain it well to Ghanaians,” he said.
He maintained that the message he communicated was intended to demonstrate how the policy could create jobs, particularly in the agriculture sector.
“The story I created made sense. I was saying that if this policy is implemented, extension officers who were at home and not working under the NPP government could be employed and unemployment would reduce,” he explained.
Mr. Owusu said he remains optimistic about the prospects of the 24-hour economy policy and has personally invested in preparation for its implementation.
He argued that the successful implementation of the 24-hour economy would require experienced entrepreneurs and private sector players rather than relying solely on government.
“Myself, I have purchased land because of the policy for animal farming. I have submitted my application for an appointment, but I am yet to get one.
“Based on my knowledge, you can’t run a 24-hour economy without business-oriented people. Businessmen can run 24 hours. You need people with the financial muscle and business experience. Get the chiefs involved as well so they can provide lands with some commission,” he suggested.
Mr. Owusu became known nationwide during the 2024 election campaign after a video of him explaining the NDC’s 24-hour economy policy went viral on social media.
In the video, he claimed that under the policy, modern farming techniques similar to those in “Pudong in China” would be introduced, suggesting that wild animals such as lions and elephants could be incorporated into farming and tourism initiatives.
The comments attracted widespread criticism and earned him the nickname “Dr Pudong.”
Despite the backlash, Mr. Owusu insisted that the controversy ultimately benefited the NDC by increasing public interest in the policy.
He also expressed disappointment that despite his campaign efforts and contribution to promoting the policy, he is yet to receive a government appointment.
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