As the government aims to reset the economy, Vice President, Prof. Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang is courting the support of the Ghana Armed Forces (GAF) in driving the country’s 24-hour economy initiative.
Veep says she believes the flagship initiative can leverage the vast skills and capabilities of the men and women uniform to aid the national economic recovery.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang who was speaking at the swearing-in of the new Armed Forces Council, acknowledged the country’s current economic crisis has affected all sectors of the economy even including the Ministry of Defense. She recounted the GHC3.7 billion debt and the other GHC275 million owed to food suppliers by the Ministry of Defense as evidence of the severity of the economic crisis.
She also stressed the urgent need for improved infrastructure, particularly in housing for the men and women in uniform which is in a deficit.
With these challenges, Veep indicated that there is a need for a total transformation of the economy, and hence recognizing the immense potential within the military, she noted that they can contribute to key sectors of the economy through the 24-hour economy.
She believes the skills and talents that abound in the military, coupled with their discipline can help in contributing to sectors such as manufacturing, construction, vehicle assembly, and pharmaceutical production among others.
“We are facing an economic crisis. That is what it is and this has saddled the Ministry of Defence with a debt of GHC3.7 billion including a GHC275 million indebtedness to food suppliers. We need to improve infrastructure including housing as we have a huge deficit. But we also know that there is so much capability in our military forces. We also know the role they can play in our 24-hour Economy,” the Vice President noted at the swearing-in.
“The Military does not lack talent or skill in any of our disciplines so we call on you to support us. It will not be too much to expect in the manufacturing sector, even vehicle assembly, pharmaceutical production, whatever we see our armed forces participating and participating effectively. We invite all of us especially our Armed Forces to champion the 24-hour economy,” she added.
Prof. Opoku-Agyemang underscores the importance of the 24-hour economy policy in revitalizing Ghana’s economic landscape and she is calling on the military to be at the forefront of this transformational agenda.
She urged stakeholders, including the private sector, to collaborate with the Armed Forces in exploring new economic ventures that maximize the country’s productive potential around the clock.
Her call aligns with the broader vision of leveraging every available resource, including military expertise, to stimulate industrialization, create jobs, and enhance economic resilience.
