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24-hour economy policy will make Ghana an export-led economy – Sammy Gyamfi
The Communications Officer of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC), Sammy Gyamfi, has said that the party and its flagbearer’s plan to spearhead a 24-hour economy is to among other things transform Ghana into an export-led economy.
Speaking on The Probe on JoyNews, he further explained that the policy will transform Ghana from an import-dependent country into a self-sufficient and export-led economy.
“That is the overarching vision of this 24-hour economy. The 24-hour economy strategy would be the main driver of this strategy. And so, the rationale is simple. We are saying that for us to see the true transformation that delivers prosperity for all, true economic transformation that delivers decent, well-paying jobs for the people of this country, we need to invest in the productive sectors of the economy to achieve self-sufficiency and achieve an export-led economy.”
“That is why President Mahama has said that to achieve this, we are going to prioritize agribusinesses and agro-processing. We are going to prioritize modernization and mechanization of agriculture. We are going to prioritize manufacturing and value addition. We are going to prioritize the provision of the necessary incentives for the private sector to try for them to play their role in this economy.”
Mr Gyamfi explained that this goal cannot be achieved if the country runs on the traditional eight-hour work system explaining that that is too inadequate to attain the needed level of efficiency, productivity and growth they are aiming for.
“We need to create sustainable jobs and prosperity for the people of this country. God has given us 24 hours, why do we have to waste 16 hours and only work 8 hours when all the advanced economies will create various degrees of 24-hour economies?”
“What we are saying is that under this overarching vision of transforming Ghana, all the interventions and policies we are going to roll out must lead to a situation where businesses, companies and certain public services run 24/7,” he added.
This follows criticisms of NDC flagbearer, John Mahama’s proposal to create a conducive atmosphere for a 24-hour economy to thrive.
Political opponents have largely criticised the idea saying it is not a novelty, and cannot transform the Ghanaian economy in any way. On the other hand, some have lauded the proposal as one that could be a game-changer for Ghana’s economy.
Many of those against it believe aspects of Ghana’s economy already operate a 24-hour system, whereas others argue the country lacks the right infrastructure to efficiently run such a system.
However, Mr Gyamfi said that the party has measures and incentives, including creating an atmosphere of security and safety that would aid in achieving this proposal.
“This is not a mere political rhetoric. It’s important to make that point, neither is it a mere slogan calculated for votes. It is a well-thought-through strategy which has its roots in the 40-year development plan which was put together under the erstwhile John Mahama government and published in 2018, I believe.”
“This is going to be a deliberate intervention by the government to create the enabling environment that will make it possible for a lot more companies, businesses and public institutions to operate around the clock.”
Source: Myjoyonline.com
President John Dramani Mahama has commissioned four career diplomats as ambassador-designates to represent Ghana in four countries.
The commissioning ceremony took place on Friday, October 16, 2026.
The new envoys are Her Excellency Nana Antwiwaa Dodoo, Ambassador-Designate to Angola; His Excellency Louis Kwame Obeng, Ambassador-Designate to Qatar; Her Excellency Evelyn Korantemaa Ofosu-Amable, Ambassador-Designate to Israel; and His Excellency Jedidiah Reuben Adogla, Permanent Representative-Designate to Switzerland.
President Mahama charged them to advance Ghana’s national interests through strategic partnerships, economic diplomacy, investment mobilization, and expanded access to international markets.
He said Ghana’s diplomatic engagements must deliver tangible economic benefits, create jobs, and strengthen the country’s standing on the international stage.
The four envoys are career diplomats with over 27 years of experience.
On behalf of her colleagues, Her Excellency Nana Antwiwaa Dodoo thanked the President for the confidence reposed in them and pledged their commitment to emulate his leadership and deliver on the mandate given to them.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
The professor who spends his days exploring the intricacies of African languages found himself at the centre of a different kind of lesson on Friday, October 2, 2026. 
This time, there were no lecture notes, academic arguments or university classrooms. Instead, there was the weight of tradition, the rhythm of a community celebration and the solemnity of an oath at a royal palace.
Professor Ọbádélé Kambon, a full Professor of African Linguistics at the University of Ghana, was enstooled as Apagyahene and Sunsum Ɔsahene of Akuapem Mampong in the Eastern Region in a ceremony that brought academia and traditional authority together.
For the professor, the occasion was more than a new title. It was a moment that connected his academic interests in African languages and indigenous knowledge with the living traditions of an Akan community.
The day’s events unfolded through a series of customary observances. Kambon was first taken to the compounds of the Ɔkyeamehene and Gyasehene, where the preparations for his installation continued.
Then came the application of hyire, the white kaolin powder associated with traditional rites.
With the customary proceedings underway, the new chief was lifted onto the shoulders of celebrants and carried along the main thoroughfare of Akuapem Mampong.
The procession transformed the streets into a public stage for a ceremony rooted in the community’s traditional institutions.
There was something striking about the image, a university professor, accustomed to the measured language of academic discourse, being carried through the town in a display of traditional recognition.
Yet the celebration was not complete with the procession.
A ram was sacrificed at the Mamponghene’s compound before Kambon was taken to the palace, to swear the oath associated with his new offices.
The ceremony brought him formally into his roles as Apagyahene and Sunsum Ɔsahene.
Beyond the colourful proceedings, the titles themselves carry layers of historical meaning.
Kambon in his research explores the historical connections between Apagya and Akan political and military organisation.
Accounts cited in his work linked Apagya to an asafo, or military company, while historical writing traces an Apagya stool in Asante to the reign of Opoku Ware I in the eighteenth century.
These historical associations offer a glimpse into the institutions that have shaped Akan society over generations, although they do not automatically define the precise responsibilities of the office in Akuapem Mampong.
Kambon’s own professional life reflects a similar interest in preserving and examining African knowledge.
His work encompasses Akan language structure, naming practices across the Black world, proverbs and indigenous intellectual traditions.
Through Abibitumi, the platform he founded, he also promotes language learning, scholarship and cultural engagement.
But tradition was only one part of the story that day.
When the formal ceremony gave way to a reception, the occasion expanded into a celebration of three milestones: Kambon’s enstoolment, his promotion to full professor and his daughter Ama’s admission to the University of Ghana.
The gathering therefore carried a personal significance that went beyond the honours bestowed on one man. 
It celebrated professional advancement, the continuation of family aspirations and a connection to cultural heritage.
For a father, seeing a daughter gain admission to the same university where he holds a distinguished academic position offered another reason to celebrate.
For the professor, the moment placed family achievement alongside his own professional and traditional milestones.
Kambon had already established a place in the traditional life of Akuapem Mampɔn through an earlier installation as Banmuhene Kyidɔmhene, recorded in 2017.
His latest enstoolment adds another chapter to that relationship.
In Akuapem Mampɔn, the day brought together the university, the palace and the family table in one celebration. And for Kambon, the journey from the lecture room to the traditional procession showed how scholarship, cultural responsibility and family achievement could converge in a single memorable occasion.
By Enoch Ntiamoah Siaw
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