Former Minister of Information under the erstwhile Akufo-Addo-led New Patriotic Party (NPP) administration, Mustapha Abdul-Hamid, has described the flagship 24-hour economy of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) as a mere procurement gimmick.
He stated that the initiative lacks a clear implementation path and is merely an avenue to award contracts to party supporters to appease them.
“Their first and fundamental promise is the 24-hour economy policy, which they termed as a game changer. But as I speak to you, it hasn’t been implemented; the policy is now ‘dead in the water.’
“The fact is that the 24-hour economy is purely a procurement gimmick. What they will do to enable their party members to get procurement contracts and claim they have provided jobs for their supporters; that is all the policy is about,” he said.
Mustapha made the statement on Angel TV on Thursday, May 21, 2026, while assessing the overall performance of the incumbent NDC administration.
Speaking further, the former National Petroleum Authority (NPA) head stated that the NDC administration led by John Dramani Mahama falls short in every sector of the economy, judging them according to their campaign promises while in opposition.
“If you want to evaluate and assess a government objectively, you have to do it based on its campaign promises. It is based on those promises that a government can be held accountable, and a conclusion can be drawn on whether it is performing or underperforming.
“So, based on these foundational parameters that I have laid down, I would say overall, the NDC administration falls short,” he opined.
He opined that “Ghanaians were just misled” by the NDC’s sugar-coated campaign promises aimed at gaining power.
Mustapha argued that the 24-hour economy should not have become a campaign promise because it is a natural consequence of production and productivity, explaining that when demand is high, it necessitates increased production.
