Let’s face it, 24-hour economy isn’t a feasible policy any government on planet earth can legislate

In his consuming desire to return to the Jubilee House, the NDC’s 2024 flagbearer, former President John Dramani Mahama, is gleefully giving all sorts of richly interesting, albeit unachievable promises, among other things, an impractical 24-hour economy.

Given the devastation of the irritating dumsor on industries and businesses under his watch, we can understand how and why some concerned Ghanaians are extremely pessimistic over former President Mahama’s much-publicised 24-hour economy.

The 24-hour economy is driven by demand and supply. Suffice it to say, no government can legislate or coerce business owners to operate in 24 hours.

More importantly, businesses and industries need efficient electricity supply to operate effectively.

Indeed, no business or industry can thrive amid erratic electricity supply (dumsor).

In the 2013 World Bank’s Enterprise Survey on African economy, with special emphasis on Nigeria and Ghana, the report concluded that ‘dumsor’ (erratic electricity supply) is the biggest obstacle to the economic growth in Africa and hindrance to businesses and industries (World Bank 2013).

Unfortunately, businesses and industries did not blossom amid inexpressible dumsor during the erstwhile Mahama administration.

Given the negative effects of dumsor, it would only take a doubting Thomas to venture to suggest that discerning Ghanaians have soon forgotten and forgiven Mahama and NDC administration for wilfully keeping Ghanaians in darkness and collapsing businesses for well over four years

Bizarrely, however, some NDC loyalists whose businesses were wilfully crippled by the appalling dumsor for well over four years, have decided to clamour for Mahama’s phantom policy of 24-hour economy instead of all-important 24-hour electricity supply.

My dear reader, of all the abysmal performances I yet have witnessed in Ghana, it seems to me most unfortunate that the Mahama’s dumsor, which lasted for well over four years, remains the most appalling in contemporary Ghana.

In the days of dumsor under the Mahama administration, we witnessed the plangent buzzing of generators all over the country. Most businesses folded up amid massive unemployment.

In those days, self-employers like Hairdressers, Ice Kenkey Sellers, Butchers, among others, were the worst affected.

The revoltingly annoying and costly buzzing of generators across the length and breadth of the country, unfortunately, went on for well over four years to the utter dismay of the good people of Ghana.

Perhaps, former President John Dramani Mahama is only trying his level best to hoodwink the unsuspecting voters. If that were not the case, how on earth would Mahama promise a 24-hour economy after puzzlingly sitting on a common dumsor for close to five years?

Interestingly, the 24-hour economy is an economic system which no government can neither legislate nor coerce the industry and business owners to partake. It is obviously driven by demand and supply.

It is against such backdrop that I am extremely perplexed over the so-called experts with little or no expertise spurious claim that the demand side is not a big deal in Mahama’s much-touted 24-hour economy.

My dear reader, you may take my word for it, I am not trying to be a pathetic doomsayer, far from it.

I have lived, schooled, and worked in a 24-hour economy for close to four decades and therefore have a tacit knowledge of the system.

The 24-hour economy is not a policy, it is an economic system already being practised in most free market economies, including Ghana. So what is the big deal in unblushingly copying someone’s idea and making it your own?

I’m afraid the 24-hour economy is already being practised in some sectors in Ghana. So what is the big deal?

Honestly, the 24-hour economy exists in Ghana in the media-radio and television, the transport sector, some hospitals, and some selected private businesses, among others.

The people who aspire to lead must rather learn to think outside the box and try to be innovative.

My dear reader, isn’t it quite unconscionable to hear that the same people, desperately pushing for a 24-hour economy unpardonably sold most of Dr Nkrumah’s industries, which were built purposely to augment Ghana’s economic growth?

Truly, it was the NDC tradition that peremptorily adopted a disastrous Economic Recovery Programme (ERP), under the auspices of the World Bank and the International Monetary Fund (IMF) and disposed most of the purposely built factories.

Regrettably, the vast majority of tangible national assets, including the state-owned enterprises were allegedly sold to friends and families for pittance.

Given the circumstances, we can understand the concerned Ghanaians' genuine apprehension on the feasibility of Mahama’s proposed 24-hour economy.

My dear reader, I have always held a firm and unadulterated conviction that the NDC apparatchiks, who bizarrely take pride in the social democratic ideology, are not in the business of promoting the welfare of the masses, but are rather on a mission to advance their parochial interests by persistently proselytising and hoodwinking the unsuspecting voters to gain electoral advantage.

As usual, the 24-hour economy proposal is a farce, similar to the one-time NHIS premium promised by the erstwhile Mahama Administration, which was destitute of honesty and integrity.

K. Badu, UK.

k.badu2011@gmail.com