Although parliament may have passed the 24-Hour Economy Bill, establishing the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat, policy think tank IMANI has raised red flags over the establishment, suggesting it is needless and wasteful.
The public policy think tank is convinced that the creation of a new secretariat risks repeating Ghana’s long-standing problem of administrative bloat with little to show in real economic outcomes.
For emphasis, IMANI reiterated that it acknowledges that a 24-hour economy is a necessary evolution for a modern, competitive Ghana. However, their point of dissent is the government’s chosen path to set up an entirely new authority to coordinate the programme. In the think tank’s view, this may slow execution rather than accelerate it.
In its latest brief on the passed bill, IMANI noted that on the surface, the bill signals a strong political commitment to transforming production, exports, and job creation. But it cautions that Ghana has seen this template before. Creating a new corporate body means months, if not years, spent on office space, staffing, governance structures, and budgets before any meaningful work begins.
At a time when fiscal discipline is critical, these startup costs risk draining scarce public resources without delivering immediate benefits.
IMANI likens the approach to “building a new road for every new car,” arguing that instead of speeding progress, it often produces what the think tank calls a “logistics of lag”, where bureaucracy grows faster than results.
Lessons from the Past
The think tank points to the experience of the zonal development authorities created by the previous administration to spearhead economic growth. It recounts that the Coastal Development Authority (CODA), Middle Belt Development Authority (MBDA), and Northern Development Authority (NDA) were just creations that bloated staff without any meaningful impact.
Rather than accelerating development, IMANI recounts that many of these bodies became associated with stalled projects, unfinished works, and unclear accountability.
The problem, it says, was not a lack of policy ambition, but weak execution structures that struggled to move from high-level coordination to real delivery on the ground.
Crucially, the creation of these authorities bypassed existing institutions such as Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) and District Assemblies, which already have local knowledge and statutory mandates. The result was fragmented decision-making and resources that often failed to match local priorities.
The Same Old Path
IMANI fears the new 24-Hour Economy Secretariat could follow the same path. It fears that adding another layer of administration on top of an already crowded governance landscape.
Instead of empowering existing institutions to implement extended working hours, industrial shifts, and export facilitation, the government may end up managing offices, boards, and reporting lines.
“While the 24-hour economy is a necessary evolution for a modern Ghana, the approach of ‘building a new road for every new car’ is fundamentally flawed. This path does not necessarily translate into success; rather, it often leads to a ‘logistics of lag’, the IMANI brief noted.
He added, “It will take months, if not years, to house, staff, and operationalize this new Authority. This startup phase does not just delay execution; it significantly inflates government expenditure at a time when fiscal discipline is paramount.”
No New Secretariat Needed
The think tank argues that Ghana does not necessarily need a new authority to run a 24-hour economy.
What it needs is better use of existing structures, clearer mandates, stronger incentives, and accountability mechanisms that allow ministries, local governments, and the private sector to execute faster.
It is the view of IMANI that if the 24-hour economy is to create jobs, lower costs, and boost exports, it must move quickly from policy to practice. Every cedi spent on administration is a cedi not spent on power reliability, transport, security, or support for businesses operating around the clock.
For IMANI, it is not rejecting the 24-hour economy itself, but a warning shaped by history that, without careful design, bold ideas can drown in bureaucracy.
