President John Dramani Mahama has ordered the Ghana Customs Authority to implement around-the-clock operations at the country’s ports as part of sweeping measures to support his flagship 24-hour economy initiative.
This directive, aimed at cutting transaction costs and improving the ease of doing business, forms a critical component of Mahama’s plan to modernize Ghana’s economic framework through increased productivity and private sector engagement.
Delivering the President’s remarks at the 45th Management Day celebration of the University of Ghana Business School (UGBS) on Wednesday, Education Minister Haruna Iddrisu noted that the 24-hour economy was not just a policy slogan but a transformational shift that required tangible administrative reforms — starting with the country’s key economic entry points.
The event, held under the theme “Marketing Innovation and Entrepreneurship as Catalysts for Success in a 24-Hour Economy”, brought together students, industry leaders, academics, and government officials to explore how innovation can drive Ghana’s economic transition.
Launched earlier this month, the $4 billion 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme is anchored on a government pledge to inject $300–$400 million in seed capital to catalyse private investment. Mahama has described the programme as a long-term strategy to boost job creation, reduce import dependency, and increase industrial output.
“We must move beyond the traditional 8 to 5 economy,” the President said in his address. “Productivity does not need to slow down after sunset.”
He stressed that for the initiative to work, institutions such as Customs must adapt to serve a new kind of economy — one that never sleeps. Beyond physical infrastructure and investment, Mahama said Ghana’s success would hinge on cultivating a new generation of entrepreneurs equipped with digital skills and a customer-first mindset.
He highlighted marketing innovation — particularly through digital platforms, artificial intelligence, and social commerce — as vital for businesses seeking to thrive under extended operational hours.
The President also emphasized the need for universities to produce the high-calibre human capital necessary to drive this transformation. “The 24-hour economy is not just about staying open longer — it’s about being more innovative, more efficient, and more globally competitive,” he said.
Education Minister Iddrisu, who represented the President, also announced key policy efforts to support education and research, including a proposed Scholarship Authority Bill to widen access to tertiary education and a $50 million commitment to establish a National Research Fund.
Vice-Chancellor of the University of Ghana, Prof. Nana Aba Appiah Amfo, praised the Business School’s achievements and reaffirmed the university’s commitment to using technology to enhance teaching and learning.
As Ghana attempts to chart a new economic path, the directive to Customs represents one of the clearest signals yet that Mahama intends to operationalise the 24-hour economy vision not just in words but through concrete institutional change.
