The head of Innovative Finance, Partnerships and Markets for Ghana’s 24-hour economy says critics who question whether sufficient demand exists for round-the-clock production are overlooking the country’s heavy import dependence.
Speaking on the Asaase Breakfast Show on Monday (23 February), Ishmael Amanor Dodoo argued that Ghana’s multi-billion-dollar import bill proves that demand already exists — but is being met by foreign producers.
“If we import $3.5 billion worth of food annually, that is effective demand,” he said. “The question is not whether demand exists. The question is: why aren’t we producing to meet it locally?”
He maintained that the 24-hour economy framework is designed to substitute imports with local manufacturing, allowing Ghanaian firms to capture value currently lost abroad.
According to him, local factories are operating below 40% capacity while the country continues to import products that could be made domestically, including food, clothing, pharmaceuticals and basic consumer goods.
He cited West Africa’s $27 billion pharmaceutical import market and Ghana’s significant food import costs as opportunities for local production.
“When you process locally, you create jobs at every stage — farming, harvesting, processing, packaging and distribution,” he said.
Amanor Dodoo stressed that businesses will not be compelled to operate three shifts, explaining that extended production hours would occur organically when market demand rises and incentives make expansion viable.
“It becomes an outcome, not a mandate,” he said.
He added that more than 400 enterprises have already expressed interest in aligning with the programme, with many indicating readiness to expand operations if supportive policies are implemented.
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