President John Dramani Mahama has officially launched the government’s flagship 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme, describing it as a “national reset” and a bold strategy to revive Ghana’s economy through round-the-clock productivity and expanded export capacity.

Speaking at the launch in Accra on Wednesday, July 2, President Mahama said the initiative represents a comprehensive shift in national policy direction, moving beyond political rhetoric to a coherent, multi-sectoral economic transformation agenda.

“This is more than a policy initiative; it is a national reset, a bold strategic shift to unlock our country’s full productive potential,” he stated. “Today, we reclaim our founder’s vision of a self-reliant, industrious and inclusive African nation that works with its creativity and ensures prosperity for all.”

The President noted that the programme is designed not just to extend working hours, but to stimulate productivity, accelerate exports, and generate inclusive economic opportunities across key sectors including agriculture, pharmaceuticals, manufacturing, logistics, infrastructure, and textiles.

“The 24-Hour Plus Programme is that collective answer,” Mahama declared. “And so we have moved from slogan to strategy today. This launch is not the end, but a beginning of a national mobilisation.”

The initiative is backed by a projected $4 billion investment, with the government committing between $300 million and $400 million as seed capital to catalyse private sector participation. According to the President, public funding will be “catalytic” rather than dominant, focused on enabling bulk infrastructure and strategic rollout mechanisms.

“Any government funding in 24-Hour Plus will be catalytic, serving as seed funding for the 24-Hour Plus Authority and supporting bulk infrastructure,” he explained.

Mahama stressed that the programme will be private-sector-led, with government playing a facilitative role to foster enterprise-level innovation and investment. Financing for businesses under the programme will be sourced through commercial banks, development finance institutions (DFIs), and blended finance instruments to ensure sustainability and investor confidence.

“The private sector will lead the 24-Hour Plus Programme. Government will facilitate and not dominate,” he stated.

At its core, the initiative aims to create 1.7 million quality jobs over four years, reduce import dependency, and reposition Ghana as a competitive player in regional and global export markets. It is structured into nine policy documents: one comprehensive overview and eight thematic subprogrammes—Grow24, Make24, Build24, Show24, Connect24, Fund24, Aspire24, and Go24.

The policy has been framed as a transformative tool to re-engineer Ghana’s economic productivity architecture and integrate key value chains across time zones. President Mahama described the launch as the beginning of a broader national effort to harness the potential of “every Ghanaian, every hour of the day.”

With implementation now underway, attention will shift to how effectively the programme mobilises public and private partnerships to achieve its ambitious targets.