Mahama's 24-Hour initiative to reduce unemployment rate below 5% by 2034

The Government of Ghana has reaffirmed its long-term economic transformation goals, announcing that its flagship 24-Hour Economy Programme is on track to reduce the national unemployment rate to below 5% by 2034.

The 24-Hour Secretariat said the target represents a decline of 9.7 percentage points from the unemployment rate of 14.7% recorded as of September 2024, with the programme expected to create more jobs through increased industrial activity, export expansion, and private-sector investment.

The initiative is targeting the creation of 1.7 million decent jobs by the end of 2028, including direct, indirect and induced employment opportunities linked to projects being developed under the programme.

A statement released by the Secretariat laid out a comprehensive performance roadmap, detailing how shift-based production, infrastructure modernization, and aggressive private-sector investments are actively reshaping the country’s employment metrics.

The announcement coincides with a major financial milestone for the administration. The government has successfully secured project agreements valued at $5.5 billion in joint partnerships.

According to official data, the first four major projects under these agreements are projected to generate more than 160,000 direct, sustainable jobs for Ghanaian youth.

The initiative, initially rolled out as a cornerstone policy framework to optimise national output, targets the cumulative creation of 1.7 million quality jobs.

By driving a round-the-clock shift system across manufacturing, agro-processing, transport, and digital services, the policy aims to absorb the structural deficit in the labour market.

The 24-Hour Economy has progressed past its legislative and design phases into full implementation.

The Secretariat confirmed that multi-shift operations have already commenced, stating that 268 filling stations and 33 major manufacturing firms have officially adopted the continuous-production model.

To further formalise and accelerate the rollout, President Dramani Mahama announced plans to establish a dedicated 24-Hour Authority.

A specialised committee has completed the statutory review of the framework, and the enabling bill will soon be laid before Parliament.

Once legally enacted, the Authority will serve as the central hub for registering participating businesses and administering lucrative government incentives, including tax rebates of up to 50% and import duty waivers.

However, independent financial analysts and academic experts, including economists from the University of Ghana Business School, have noted that while dropping unemployment below 5% within a decade is highly ambitious, it remains entirely feasible if backed by aggressive export strategies and reliable energy infrastructure.

The government plans to tie the 24-hour shift system directly to its Accelerated Export Development Strategy, aiming to lift non-traditional export revenues to $10 billion.

By combining night-shift productivity with aggressive infrastructure upgrades, such as modernising district commercial hubs and expanding cold-chain networks, the administration believes Ghana will permanently break its cycle of high youth unemployment.