NewzPresident John Dramani Mahama has said Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme will play a central role in the government’s efforts to transform the country into an industrial and high-productivity economy. Addressing the United Nations General Assembly in New York on Thursday, September 24, President Mahama said the programme forms part of the broader “Resetting Ghana Agenda”, which seeks to combine economic stabilisation with infrastructure development, industrialisation and job creation. He said the government was pursuing policies to encourage round-the-clock commercial activity while expanding value addition in agriculture and mining.
“Through our flagship 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme and the soon-to-be-launched ‘New Ghana, New Economy’ policy, we are transforming Ghana into an industrial, high-productivity hub,” he said. President Mahama said the strategy was also intended to create sustainable employment opportunities for Ghana’s young population and women while increasing the value generated from the country’s natural resources. “We are incentivising round-the-clock commercial operations, driving value addition in agriculture and mining, and creating sustainable, dignified jobs for our vibrant youth and women,” he said.
He linked the initiative to the government’s wider infrastructure programme, including roads, schools, health facilities and digital connectivity, saying these investments would help reduce the rural-urban divide and unlock economic opportunities. President Mahama maintained that economic growth should ultimately be measured by its impact on citizens, particularly through access to jobs, basic services and improved living standards. President John Dramani Mahama has highlighted Ghana’s expansion of social protection and healthcare programmes, including Free Primary Health Care and the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, popularly known as MahamaCare.
Speaking at the 81st United Nations General Assembly on Thursday, September 24, President Mahama said Ghana’s national development strategy was designed to ensure that economic progress translates into tangible improvements in the lives of citizens. “Central to our national reset is a revolutionary expansion of social protection and universal healthcare,” he said. He said the Free Primary Health Care Programme was intended to provide Ghanaians with access to essential primary healthcare services at the community level at no cost.
President Mahama also pointed to the Ghana Medical Trust Fund, saying it was supporting Ghanaians suffering from serious non-communicable diseases, including renal failure, cancer, cardiovascular diseases and diabetes. “Alongside our National Health Insurance Scheme (NHIS), we have introduced a specialised fund officially named the Ghana Medical Trust Fund (and popularly referred to as MahamaCare) that guarantees Ghanaians suffering from NonCommunicable Diseases (NCDs) such as renal failure, cancer, cardiovascular diseases, and diabetes receive subsidised, affordable, and life-saving care,” he said. The President said the interventions reflected his belief that democracy should deliver practical social benefits beyond elections.
“Citizens must experience democracy not only through the ballot box every four years, but through improved access to food, quality education, decent housing, accessible healthcare, and economic opportunity,” he said. He added that Ghana’s domestic programmes were intended to contribute to the country’s progress towards the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly the goals relating to poverty, health and inequality. President John Dramani Mahama has used his address to the 81st United Nations General Assembly to highlight Ghana’s economic recovery and a series of domestic programmes aimed at improving living standards.
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