We have no control over 24-Hour Economy markets – Goosie Tanoh clarifies

The 24-Hour Economy Secretariat has clarified that it has no jurisdiction or oversight responsibility over the proposed 24-hour markets being developed across the country, despite the public perception linking the markets to the government’s broader 24-hour economy programme.

Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economy, Augustus Goosie Tanoh, said the misunderstanding had resulted in the Secretariat being dragged into legal disputes over market projects it does not control.

Speaking at an engagement with some news editors in Accra on August 19, 2026, Tanoh explained that the 24-hour economy programme and the establishment of 24-hour markets were separate initiatives.

He said the markets were being financed by the district assemblies and implemented by the Ministry of Local Government and the district assemblies.

“Although they use a 24-hour logo, we have no control over the markets. We are not part of deciding where it goes, and so on and so forth,” Tanoh stated.

He said the markets could nevertheless contribute to the broader objectives of the 24-hour economy if they were equipped with modern facilities to improve efficiency in the agricultural supply chain.

“Eventually, if those markets are established and have the modern facilities that contribute to supply chain efficiency we want to achieve, because you have more cooling facilities, then your vegetables, your perishables and so on have somewhere to be stored so that we don't lose or add to the 30 to 40 percent post-harvest losses that we have within the supply chain. So it's a good thing, but for the moment we have no responsibility whatsoever,” he indicated.

Tanoh said the Secretariat had been sued several times over the market projects despite having no responsibility for them.

“So if people sue 24-hour economy authorities, we've been sued four or five times for something that we have no responsibility for,” he said.

The Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economysaid the Secretariat was taking steps to have its name removed from the cases.

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“Our lawyer is moving a motion in November to get us removed from the defendant's list because we have no jurisdiction, we have no status in the matter,” he stated.

Tanoh said the situation had become a problem because of the perception that the Secretariat was responsible for the markets simply because they carry the 24-hour branding.

He, however, noted that the proposed markets could support the government’s broader economic objectives, particularly by providing storage and cooling facilities that could help reduce post-harvest losses.

The 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme is aimed at shifting Ghana from an import-dependent, raw material-exporting economy towards a self-reliant, round-the-clock productive economy.

The programme seeks to maximise the use of capital, infrastructure and labour to create jobs, improve productivity and drive economic growth.

JKB/VPO

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