Accra: Senior Lecturer at the University of Ghana and Executive Director of the Centre for Policy Scrutiny, Dr. Adu Owusu Sarkodie, has expressed concern over the government's implementation of its flagship 24-hour economy programme. He has stated that the execution does not reflect the vision outlined in the official policy document.
According to Ghana Web, Dr. Sarkodie, speaking on Channel One TV, highlighted a disconnect between the government's promises, the policy document, and the current implementation. The 287-page policy document, he noted, provides a comprehensive analysis of Ghana's economic issues and suggests practical solutions for economic transformation.
Dr. Sarkodie praised the document's thoroughness and the quality of ideas it contains, describing it as one of the most well-researched government documents he has encountered. However, he criticized the government's failure to adhere to the document's recommendations during implementation.
He specifically pointed out the lack of focus on the "1-3-3" concept, which is briefly mentioned in the policy document and questioned the rationale behind constructing 24-hour economy markets before bolstering local production. Dr. Sarkodie emphasized that economic transformation should begin with enhancing the country's productive capacity.
He urged the government to align its implementation with the policy's objectives and recommendations and cautioned that without boosting domestic production, the new markets might rely heavily on imported goods. Dr. Sarkodie called for a more faithful execution of the policy to ensure genuine economic transformation.