Deputy Ranking Member Alexander Akwasi Acquah has called on the government to clarify the purpose and operational plans for the construction of Ghana’s 24‑hour markets. Speaking on Eyewitness News on Monday, September 14, he questioned whether the markets will truly operate around the clock once completed and whether their construction is necessary in areas already served by existing markets and facilities.
Mr Acquah raised concerns that the demolition of existing structures, including important facilities, was carried out without proper planning. He asked why the government is building new markets in communities where current markets are already functioning, suggesting that other infrastructure could better serve those areas.
The 24‑Hour Markets project is a flagship programme aimed at providing organised trading centres for traders, farmers, producers and consumers across Ghana’s districts, thereby supporting local economic activity. Mr Acquah also demanded clarity on institutional responsibility, noting that the head of the 24‑Hour Economy Secretariat had reportedly stated the Secretariat was not involved in the construction.
He urged the government to explain why these markets are being called 24‑hour economy markets, whether they will truly operate 24 hours after construction, and whether the people they are built for actually need them.
