“8-Hour Workday in Ghana Not Suitable for Generating Well-Paying Jobs, Mahama Asserts”
The flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama, has stated that the current eight-hour working system in Ghana is "inadequate to create the production, productivity, and well-paying jobs required for the revival of Ghana's currently bankrupt economy."
Ghana’s former President, John Mahama, has proposed a 24-hour economy system to address the country’s pressing issues of youth unemployment and production deficits. Speaking during an online event last Sunday, Mahama emphasized that the current eight-hour working system is inadequate to produce enough goods and services for export.
The 24-Hour Economy proposal aims to create an enabling environment for businesses and government institutions to operate 24/7 in three eight-hour shifts, in addition to the traditional eight-hour system. This would lead to a significant increase in jobs, with the two additional shifts potentially doubling or tripling the number of jobs in public and private entities.
Mahama highlighted the benefits of the system, including 24-hour ports and harbour services, customs services, DVLA services, agro-processing factories, manufacturing industries, construction companies, sanitation and waste management services, financial institutions, healthcare services, community pharmacy care, tourism, creative arts and entertainment industry services, and retail centers.
The proposal has been criticized by the current administration for not being implemented during Mahama’s previous presidency. However, Mahama argued that the government abandoned the 40-year National Development Plan developed during his presidency, which included the 24-Hour Economy proposal. He stated that if the government had adopted and implemented the proposal, it would have saved Ghanaians from the current levels of unprecedented unemployment.
Mahama’s proposal is seen as a potential solution to address Ghana’s economic challenges and provide a more sustainable future for its citizens. The outcome of the proposal will be closely monitored by stakeholders and observers in the coming months.
