Jane Naana highlights 24-hour economy at africa growth forum in Italy

Vice President Professor Jane Naana Opoku-Agyemang has reiterated that Ghana’s economic vision under President John Dramani Mahama is anchored on job creation and inclusive growth.

She stressed that employment remains the “heartbeat of Ghana’s economic transformation.”

Addressing participants at the Africa Growth and Opportunity: Research in Action Forum in Palermo, Italy, where she delivered the keynote speech, the Vice President said Ghana is open to development partnerships that bring practical benefits to its citizens and foster mutual progress.

“Ghana welcomes opportunities that serve our people and partnerships that are truly mutually beneficial,” she noted. “Job creation in Ghana is not an afterthought, but the heartbeat of our economic transformation.”

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang, who extended warm regards from President Mahama, said the government’s 24-Hour Economy initiative represents a forward-looking approach to productivity and time management, designed “to ensure that opportunity never sleeps.”

She explained that the policy is built around eight complementary pillars — Grow24, Make24, Build24, Connect24, Fund24, Aspire24, Show24, and Go24 — each aimed at expanding the scope of work across strategic sectors including agriculture, manufacturing, finance, infrastructure, and technology.

The Vice President outlined key interventions already taking shape under the plan, such as the Feed Ghana Programme and Grow24, which are transforming agriculture through irrigation systems, the use of climate-resilient crops, and improved logistics. She also referenced the BRIDGE Initiative supporting small and medium enterprises (SMEs) with access to finance and training, as well as the Adwumawura and One Million Coders initiatives, both of which focus on empowering young people with digital and green skills.

“These and other efforts reflect Ghana’s resolve to turn research into action and vision into work,” she remarked.

According to her, early indicators show that government reforms are beginning to yield positive results. Inflation has returned to single digits, the Ghana cedi has emerged as Africa’s best-performing currency in 2025, and investor confidence continues to strengthen.

“Yet, beyond numbers, the focus remains on people,” she emphasized. “We must ensure that farmers, artisans, and entrepreneurs see their labour rewarded.”

She further highlighted the Big Push Infrastructure Agenda as a catalyst for employment across various sectors, while programmes such as the Women’s Development Bank and the WAPE Fund are helping to position women and youth at the centre of Ghana’s growing economy.

Prof. Opoku-Agyemang ended her address with a call for a new model of engagement between Africa and the rest of the world.

“The rhetoric around Africa’s partnerships must evolve to focus on shared prosperity, so that trade, innovation, and technology flow in both directions. Ghana is open to partnerships intended to shape an economic order where work creates progress, and progress restores hope.”

The Palermo forum brought together policymakers, business leaders, and researchers from across Africa and Europe to explore practical strategies for sustainable development, innovation, and job creation.