The Member of Parliament for Damongo Constituency, and Minister for Lands and Natural Resources, Samuel A. Jinapor, has jabbed the National Democratic Congress (NDC), and its Presidential Candidate, John Dramani Mahama, about their 24-hour economy policy, describing it as a mere slogan. 

He said the NDC and Mr Mahama, when entrusted with the economy for four years, plunged the country into a power crisis, and could not even provide a 12-hour economy. 

According to the Minister, this record of the NDC shows that they cannot be trusted with their supposed 24-hour economy.

Speaking at a ceremony in Damongo where he was acclaimed as the New Patriotic Party’s (NPP) Parliamentary Candidate for the Damongo Constituency, on Saturday, 17th February 2024, Mr Jinapor said the NDC has failed to explain the so-called 24-hour economy to the ordinary Ghanaian, and their record in government, which was marked by dumsor [Power cuts], is evident that they cannot provide a 24-hour economy.

The NPP, last month, held parliamentary primaries to elect their parliamentary candidates for constituencies with sitting Members of Parliament. 

In the Damongo Constituency, no one contested Mr Jinapor, who is the incumbent Member of Parliament. 

According to the party’s Constitution, where only person is nominated at the close of nominations, the person is acclaimed as the Parliamentary Candidate. 

This is the second time in succession that Mr Jinapor has gone unopposed in the Damongo Constituency.

The ceremony to acclaim the Minister as the Parliamentary Candidate drew several dignitaries to the Constituency, including the General Secretary of the Party, Justin Frimpong Kodua, the Minister for Roads and Highways and Member of Parliament for Bantama, Francis Asenso Boakye, the Minister for Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Stephen Asamoah-Boateng, and the Minister-designate for Information, Fatima Abubakar.

In his address at the ceremony, Mr. Jinapor called on Ghanaians to vote massively for the NPP presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia. 

He said in just two months after his election, Dr Bawumia had laid down his policies and strategies to take Ghana to the next level when elected as the President of the Republic. 

He said Mr Mahama, on the contrary, has not been able to make any substantive policy proposition to Ghanaians but has rather asked for a period of honeymoon when elected.

According to Mr Jinapor, even though the NDC has been touting a supposed 24-hour economy, they have failed to explain what this means to Ghanaians. 

“When you ask them what 24-hour economy means, they either say Jack Toronto, or something else.”

The Minister said Mr Mahama, when he became President, plunged the economy into dumsor [Power crisis], and collapsed small and medium-scale businesses. 

He asked how someone who could not provide for a day's economy makes provision for a night economy.

“For four years … in the day, tailors could not work, in the day, there was no economy for welders, carpenters, fitters, and thousands and millions of Ghanaians, how then are you going to provide a 24-hour economy,” Mr Jinapor asked.

The Minister said contemporary development, across the world, revolves around technology and digitisation. 

He said, that even as Vice President, Dr Bawumia has championed policies that will bring the much-needed development to Ghanaians, and has proven that when elected as President, he can take Ghana to the next level. 

He called on Ghanaians to rally behind the NPP and Dr Bawumia to continue the progressive policies the Government is implementing.