Secretary-General of the Ghana Federation of Labour, Abraham Koomson, says President John Dramani Mahama’s 24-hour economy policy is achievable, but Ghana must first address the challenges that have weakened the country’s manufacturing sector.
Speaking on Ahotor FM’s Yepe Ahunu programme on Saturday, September 26, 2026, Mr Koomson said the 24-hour economy should not be treated merely as a political slogan because Ghana had previously operated a vibrant manufacturing sector in which several factories ran multiple shifts.
According to him, he personally worked in Ghana’s manufacturing industry from 1971 and witnessed a period when some factories operated three shifts, creating employment and sustaining economic activity in industrial communities.
He cited companies and establishments including TTL, Allweld, DTMP, DTMZ and Nestlé, among others, as examples of businesses that, according to him, operated multiple shifts during that period.
Mr Koomson said the decline of Ghana’s manufacturing sector was linked to economic policies and the inability to sustain the production of raw materials required by local industries.
He used the textile industry as an example, saying Ghana once had institutional arrangements such as the Cotton Development Board, which supported farmers with financing and other assistance to increase local cotton production.
He said the weakening of such support systems eventually forced textile manufacturers to depend increasingly on imported raw cotton, chemicals, dyes and other inputs, thereby increasing their production costs.
According to Mr Koomson, local manufacturers then faced additional difficulties when imported finished products entered the market at relatively cheaper prices while domestic companies had to contend with taxes and other production costs.
He also raised concerns about the alleged smuggling of some finished products into Ghana, arguing that such activities could further undermine local manufacturers.
Manufacturing must support 24-hour economy
Mr Koomson therefore argued that rebuilding Ghana’s manufacturing base should be central to efforts to implement a successful 24-hour economy.
He said the policy would require more than encouraging businesses to operate around the clock, stressing that industries must have access to raw materials, markets and competitive production conditions.
“The 24 hours, it is possible. But the way our system has collapsed, we have to look at what we wrote in this world development on manufacturing,” he said.
He maintained that government must examine the policies and institutions that previously supported manufacturing and identify ways of restoring local production and value addition.
Mr Koomson further disclosed that organised labour and other stakeholders had previously developed proposals on manufacturing and submitted them to government, with the 24-hour economy forming part of those discussions.
He said the proposals were considered by a committee involving senior government officials, including a vice president and academics.
According to him, some of the ideas currently being discussed around the 24-hour economy are therefore not entirely new, but form part of broader discussions that have taken place among labour and other stakeholders.
He said restoring Ghana’s industrial capacity would be critical to creating sustainable employment and expanding economic activity.
Mr Koomson urged policymakers to focus on rebuilding productive sectors and creating an environment in which Ghanaian businesses can compete effectively, arguing that the success of the 24-hour economy would depend largely on the strength of the country’s industrial base.
Story by Stephen Kwaku Owusu Mintah