24-hour economy to drive jobs through production

A new secretariat aims to create sustainable jobs through increased production, modernized agriculture, manufacturing, and a coordinated national development plan. Kyeretwie Opoku, coordinator of the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat, spoke at a media engagement in Accra about the initiative to address Ghana's employment needs, particularly for the youth. The secretariat will collaborate with the media to ensure public understanding of the program and its goals.

Opoku emphasized that the secretariat's role is to transform the economy, generate wealth, retain it locally, and support reinvestment for future generations. He explained that sustainable employment would stem from overall economic growth, especially in agriculture and manufacturing, rather than relying solely on government programs.

According to Opoku, the focus should be on planting production first, as jobs will follow. He urged the government to modernize agriculture, making it less labor-intensive and more appealing to the youth, while enhancing the processing and distribution of agricultural products.

Manufacturing will also play a crucial role in job creation, particularly through converting agricultural raw materials into finished and semi-finished goods. Opoku cited Ghana's post-independence industrialization under the late President Kwame Nkrumah as an example of how a coordinated national development plan, including the construction of factories, agricultural estates, ports, and power infrastructure, can drive economic transformation.

The 24-Hour Economy program aims to revive national coherence and mobilization around a development plan centered on agriculture, manufacturing, infrastructure, and investment, focusing on delivering specific social support in the 21st century.