Former Information Minister Kojo Oppong Nkrumah has slammed the government for failing to clearly define and explain its key economic policies, especially the widely discussed 24-hour economy initiative.
Addressing Parliament on Wednesday, March 4, Oppong Nkrumah expressed frustration over the lack of a consistent definition for the policy. “Till date, we don’t have a single definition for the 24-hour economy program. Everybody you talk to has a different definition—one program, many definitions,” he said.
He urged the government to prioritize governance over propaganda, emphasizing that empty rhetoric would not solve the country’s economic challenges. “The propaganda will not create jobs, it will not put food on the tables of people, it will not put clothes on the backs of people,” he stated.
Oppong Nkrumah advised the ruling government to spend less time on propaganda and more time developing effective governance programs. “Spend time doing less propaganda and more time bringing your governance programs so that Parliament can assist you and work on them,” he added.
Oppong Nkrumah on “ambiguous economic policies”
The Ofoase Ayirebi MP also urged the government to move beyond political rhetoric and present concrete policies to tackle pressing economic issues. He questioned the government’s commitment to addressing rising transport fares, high electricity bills, and food inflation.
“The President failed to outline any clear plans to address these challenges. Instead of offering solutions to the issues he campaigned on, all we heard was lamentation and blame on past leaders, just like in 2013,” Oppong Nkrumah remarked.
He reminded the government of the expectations citizens had when they voted for the current administration. “The real issues that you campaigned on—the things that the millions of young people who were singing ‘kwen kwen’ are waiting to hear you deliver on—get lost in the cracks. I want to remind you of the things you campaigned on and the expectations people had when the President mounted the podium,” he concluded.
