Koforidua: The Member of Parliament for New Juaben South and Ranking Member on Parliament's Trade and Industry Committee, Michael Okyere Baafi, has demanded that the Mahama administration apologise to Ghanaians for what he describes as a significant and unexplained shift in the structure of the flagship 24-Hour Economy Policy.
According to Ghana Web, the former Deputy Minister of Trade and Industry took particular issue with what he sees as a shift in the policy's core philosophy. The original framework, promoted during the 2024 general elections as a "1-3-3" formula, has been replaced with a "4-1-9" model, which Okyere Baafi argues fundamentally alters the promise made to Ghanaians.
"The policy was advertised by President Mahama and his team before the elections. Today, I put it to the head of the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat. they have to go back to the country and apologise to Ghanaians," he said.
The revised policy now positions the initiative as a private sector-led programme supported by government incentives, a departure from the original focus on direct job creation for individuals. Okyere Baafi questioned the practical impact such an approach would have on employment, especially with incentives that may include interest subsidies.
He further challenged the government on its investment promotion strategy, arguing that good intentions alone would not create jobs. "Government needs to do more in the area of investment promotion. They want to create jobs, but how?" he asked.
Okyere Baafi also warned that the administration risks losing public trust if it fails to clarify the changes. "We are now waiting for the incentive policy. The point I'm trying to make is that we now understand a different 24-Hour Economy," he noted.