A Ghanaian economist based in the UK, Michael Danquah, has cautioned the flagbearer of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to stop attacking the 24-hour economy proposal made by the flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Dramani Mahama.
According to him, it’s a bad strategy to attack and discuss a policy proposal made by Mr. Mahama because doing so amounts to a campaign weapon in projecting the policy and making it resonate with discerning Ghanaians.
Mr. Danquah urged the NPP and their flagbearer, Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, to channel their energies, time, and resources toward propagating their own policies for Ghanaians and not attacking someone’s proposed idea.
He made these comments in a phone conversation with 3News.com on Tuesday, November 21, while reacting to the comment by Vice President Dr. Bawumia to the effect that former President Mahama does not fathom the meaning of the 24-hour economy.
Bawumia indicated that hospitals, the Electricity Company of Ghana, the Ghana Water Company, fuel stations, and many chop bars work 24 hours a day.
He said Ghanaians should reject the idea of a 24-hour economy proposed by Mr. Mahama.
Addressing a crowd in Nalerigu as part of his ‘Thank you’ tour on Monday, November 20, after being elected flagbearer of the NPP on November 4, Dr. Bawumia said, “John Mahama says he has a new idea. What is the idea? He says he wants a 24-hour economy. He doesn’t even understand that policy.
Today in Ghana, our hospitals work 24 hours a day, our electricity company works 24 hours a day, our water company works 24 hours a day, our fuel stations work 24 hours a day, and many chop bars work 24 hours a day. Today, because of digitalization, you can transfer money 24 hours a day and receive money 24 hours a day. So he doesn’t understand his own policy. It doesn’t make sense.
“So I want you to vote for me in 2024 because I will bring a new vision and a new policy. Mahama is the past, and Dr. Bawumia is the future. If John Mahama were there, we would say we have a dumsor economy; you can’t have a 24-hour economy in dumsor. So, if you want to vote for Dr. Bawumia in 2024, we will take the country to new heights,” Dr. Bawumia stated.
Mahama had said that the idea of a 24-hour economy was to create jobs for all Ghanaians.
A political marketing strategist, Professor Kobby Mensah, has also waded into the controversy, asking Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia to come out with his policy.
“Can someone tell Bawumia to stop complaining about someone’s 24-hour economy and tell us what he’s got? #24HourEconomy,” he wrote on his X page.