Former Vice President and NPP 2028 presidential candidate Dr Mahamudu Bawumia has criticised the government's 24-hour economy agenda, describing the demolition of buildings for 24-hour markets as a “24-hour demolition.”
He also questioned the implementation of the programme and called for affected businesses and property owners to be properly engaged.
📍 Ghana | 📰 JONES NEWS
Former Vice President and NPP 2028 presidential candidate, Dr Mahamudu Bawumia, has criticised the government’s 24-hour economy agenda, arguing that the policy has increasingly become associated with the demolition of existing structures to make way for so-called 24-hour markets.
Dr Bawumia made the remarks on Saturday, October 3, 2026, while addressing delegates at the New Patriotic Party’s National Delegates Conference in Kumasi.
His comments add to growing political debate over the implementation of the government’s 24-hour economy programme, particularly the construction and redevelopment of markets in various parts of the country.
Bawumia questions the implementation of the 24-hour economy
According to Dr Bawumia, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government came into office promising a major expansion of employment opportunities through a flagship 24-hour economy policy.
He referred specifically to the campaign concept of one job, three shifts and three people, commonly described as the “1-3-3” model.
The former Vice President argued that young graduates, artisans and other job seekers who expected employment opportunities from the programme are still waiting for the promised jobs.
He then sharply criticised the emergence of 24-hour market projects, saying the policy had moved away from the employment-focused promise that was presented to voters.
He described the situation as a “24-hour demolition of buildings for so-called 24-hour markets”, adding that, in his view, even the NDC could not adequately explain the situation.
The statement has placed the government’s market redevelopment programme at the centre of renewed political discussion.
Labadi demolition becomes part of the debate
Dr Bawumia particularly cited developments in Labadi, where structures have been demolished amid plans for redevelopment.
He expressed sympathy for traders, artisans and small business operators whose properties and businesses were affected.
According to him, people who had invested years of effort into establishing their businesses saw their livelihoods reduced to rubble.
He argued that a government that promised to create employment should also be concerned about protecting existing economic activity.
Dr Bawumia called for government to engage affected persons, provide alternatives and ensure what he described as fair compensation.
His comments come against the backdrop of continuing controversy surrounding demolitions connected to market redevelopment projects in different communities.
Government says the markets are intended to create economic opportunities
The government's position on the 24-Hour Model Markets Project differs from Dr Bawumia's characterization.
The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, has described the initiative as a programme aimed at modernising market infrastructure and improving trading conditions.
On September 23, Ayariga met Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives and consultants to review the progress of the project.
According to Citi Newsroom, the government says the initiative is intended to create economic opportunities, particularly for women and small-scale traders, through improved market facilities and a better environment for commercial activities.
The government has therefore presented the market projects as part of a broader economic-development strategy rather than simply demolition exercises.
A key distinction within the 24-hour economy debate
One of the most significant aspects of the controversy is that the 24-Hour Markets Project and the broader 24-Hour Economy Secretariat do not have identical institutional responsibilities.
In August, Presidential Adviser on the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development, Augustus Goosie Tanoh, said the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat was not responsible for the development of the markets.
He explained that the market projects fall under the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs and the district assemblies, with financing through the District Assemblies Common Fund.
Tanoh's clarification is important because the market projects have been publicly associated with the 24-hour economy brand, while the Secretariat says it does not control decisions concerning their construction, locations or implementation.
That distinction has become part of the wider public conversation about who should be held accountable for decisions involving demolitions, redevelopment and compensation.
Controversies surrounding affected properties
The implementation of some market projects has generated disputes between local authorities and occupants of affected properties.
In one case, the demolition of a building associated with Sekyedumase Rural Bank in the Ashanti Region became controversial.
Reports said the bank had been engaging with the relevant municipal assembly over relocation before the building was demolished.
The bank subsequently raised concerns over property and business losses and indicated that it could pursue legal action.
The dispute illustrates one of the central challenges facing market redevelopment: balancing public infrastructure projects with the property, business and livelihood interests of people already operating at proposed project sites. (Newsthemegh)
Such disputes also raise questions about consultation, notice, relocation arrangements and compensation.
Agbogbloshie project suspended for consultations
The government has also taken steps to address concerns raised by traders.
In September, the government suspended plans to redevelop the Agbogbloshie 24-Hour Economy Market following concerns from traders about the proposed demolition of the existing market structure.
The suspension was intended to create room for further consultations involving the Accra Metropolitan Assembly, market leadership and other stakeholders.
According to Citi Newsroom, Local Government Minister Mahama Ayariga said the temporary hold would allow authorities to assess conditions on the ground and review the proposed development.
The development demonstrates that the implementation of the programme has involved negotiations between government authorities and affected communities.
Bawumia expands criticism beyond the markets
Dr Bawumia's criticism of the 24-hour economy did not stop at the market projects.
During his speech in Kumasi, he also criticised what he described as the government's failure to deliver other promises associated with the NDC's 2024 campaign.
He raised issues concerning electricity tariffs, the proposed Women's Development Bank, the cost of living, employment, education and other government programmes.
However, those claims represent Dr Bawumia's political assessment of the government's record, rather than independently established facts.
His speech was delivered at an NPP national conference, where he also discussed the party's preparations for the 2028 general election and the lessons he said the party had learned since the 2024 election.
The bigger question: jobs or infrastructure?
At the heart of the political disagreement is a question about what Ghanaians should expect from the 24-hour economy.
The government's broader 24-hour economy programme has been presented as an effort to increase productive activity, encourage investment and create employment by allowing economic activity to continue beyond traditional working hours.
Presidential Adviser Goosie Tanoh has previously said the programme is designed to attract private-sector investment across areas including agriculture, manufacturing, logistics, energy and infrastructure.
He also said the programme had attracted project commitments estimated at $5.5 billion, with government acting mainly as a facilitator while private capital plays a significant role in implementation.
The 24-hour markets are therefore only one component of the wider economic agenda, although they have become one of its most visible and controversial elements.
Public concerns over demolitions
For residents, traders and property owners affected by redevelopment, however, the distinction between the broader 24-hour economy and the market projects may not resolve their immediate concerns.
Their primary questions are likely to centre on whether adequate consultation took place, whether alternative locations were provided, whether businesses can continue operating during construction and whether compensation arrangements are clear.
These issues become particularly important where existing businesses have operated for many years and employ workers or support families.
A modern market can potentially provide improved sanitation, storage, security, accessibility and commercial space. But the process of moving from an existing market or business district to a new facility can also create disruption if relocation arrangements are not carefully managed.
Political debate likely to continue
Dr Bawumia's latest remarks are likely to keep the 24-hour economy at the centre of political debate.
For the NPP, the demolition of existing structures provides an opportunity to question how the government's flagship economic promise is being implemented.
For the government, the market programme is being presented as an infrastructure and economic-development intervention designed to modernise trading spaces and expand commercial opportunities.
The distinction between these two positions will remain important as more projects are implemented.
What remains clear is that the 24-hour economy has moved beyond being simply an electoral slogan. Its implementation is now being closely watched by traders, businesses, local authorities, political parties and communities across Ghana.
As the government continues with its market redevelopment plans, issues of consultation, transparency, relocation, compensation, infrastructure quality and job creation are likely to remain central to public discussion.
Dr Bawumia's “24-hour demolition” description has consequently added another forceful political criticism to an already active national debate. Whether the programme ultimately delivers the jobs and economic opportunities promised by its proponents will depend on how its various components are implemented and how government responds to concerns from communities affected by individual projects.
For now, the disagreement highlights two competing narratives: one focused on the government's stated objective of creating modern economic infrastructure and opportunities, and the other focused on the disruption and demolition experienced by some existing businesses and property owners.