24-Hour Economy is real policy, not rhetoric – Haruna Iddrisu on Mahama’s economic shift

Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu says President John Mahama’s newly launched 24-Hour Economy policy is not a mere political slogan but a well-thought-out national plan aimed at solving deep-rooted economic challenges.

According to the Tamale South MP, the policy represents Mahama’s transition “from slogan to action,” rooted in years of contemplation and backed by urgent economic realities.

“Today, we had the rare opportunity of President John Dramani Mahama launching one of his major flagship projects and, as he described it, from policy or slogan to action,” Iddrisu said. “This was not a nerve-breaking exercise at all.”

He noted that the 24-Hour Economy policy, launched alongside an accelerated Export Development Initiative, stems from Mahama’s long-standing belief that Ghana must reduce its dependence on imports and drive domestic production.

“He shared with the Ghanaian people that this has been in his thinking and contemplation in the last four or more years,” the former Minority Leader said.

“He’s talked about it whilst being out of government as President of the Republic, and expedited by the circumstance of our country that we still spend huge amounts of money on imports—about $3 billion on rice imports, $3.4 billion on cereal grains, frozen poultry, $2.6 billion and Sugar takes $2.4 billion.”

According to Mr Iddrisu, Mahama’s message was clear: this is not just an announcement.

“This is not an event or a race which must end today,” he said. “The President lined the 24-hour and accelerated Export Development Policy with conviction and belief.”

For Mr Iddrisu, the underlying goal is self-sufficiency.

“It means that the President wants to respond to a national need, a need for us to invest more in, in his words, to have a self-reliant, dependent, food-sufficient, producing country that can feed itself—a country that guarantees food security.”

Haruna Iddrisu emphasised that Mahama cannot comprehend why Ghana continues to be heavily import-dependent.

“For the President now, he simply cannot understand why we should be an import-dependent economy, and what it is that we can produce? He would provide guidance and leadership as President.”

“That is why he’s gotten Goosie Tanoh, one of the sharpest and brilliant minds of the NDC, to be the anchor person to guide him in implementing the 24-Hour Economy.”

Mr Iddrisu said the private sector will take centre stage in the new policy direction.

“What was profound today is for the President to remark publicly that the 24-Hour Economy will be private sector-led, and that it will not be dominated by government,” he said.

“Government will only be an enabler, a facilitator for the private sector to take up the initiative in the various sectors of the economy.”

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