Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economy, Goosie Tannoh, has clarified that the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat has no jurisdiction over the proposed 24-hour markets being established across the country.
According to him, although the markets are associated with the government’s 24-Hour Economy agenda and may carry the initiative’s branding, their planning, financing, location and implementation are the responsibility of the Ministry of Local Government and district assemblies.
Mr Tannoh made the clarification during an engagement with news editors in Accra, where he sought to dispel what he described as a misconception linking the Secretariat directly to the implementation of the proposed markets.
He explained that the 24-hour market system is intended to cover the country’s 262 district assemblies and is to be financed through the District Assemblies Common Fund, with the Ministry of Local Government and the respective assemblies responsible for implementation.
“Although they use the 24-Hour Economy logo, we have no jurisdictional control over the market. We are not part of deciding where it goes,” he said.
Mr Tannoh stressed that the Secretariat’s lack of jurisdiction over the markets has created legal challenges, with the institution being named as a defendant in several lawsuits concerning projects over which it has no direct control.
He disclosed that the Secretariat has been sued approximately four or five times in connection with the markets and related matters.
He said the Secretariat’s lawyers are therefore preparing to seek its removal from the list of defendants in one of the cases.
“Our lawyer is moving a motion in November to get us to be removed from the defendant’s list because we have no jurisdiction; we have no status in the matter,” he explained.
Despite distancing the Secretariat from the direct implementation of the markets, Mr Tannoh said the initiative could play an important role in achieving the broader objectives of the government’s 24-Hour Economy policy.
He explained that modern market facilities equipped with appropriate infrastructure could improve the efficiency of Ghana’s supply chains, particularly for agricultural produce and other perishable goods.
According to him, the availability of cold-chain facilities at the markets would allow traders and producers to properly store vegetables, fruits and other perishables, helping to reduce losses along the supply chain.
He noted that Ghana currently incurs significant costs and losses within its supply chains, particularly because of inadequate storage and logistics infrastructure.
“If those markets are established and have the modern facilities that contribute to the supply chain efficiency we want to achieve, because if you have cold-chain facilities, then your vegetables, your perishables and so on have somewhere to be stored,” he said.
Mr Tannoh said such infrastructure could help prevent further losses and reduce the costs associated with moving goods from producers to consumers.
He, however, maintained that the potential benefits of the markets should not be interpreted as meaning that the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat is responsible for their execution.
The Presidential Advisor reiterated that responsibility for the proposed markets rests with the Ministry of Local Government and the district assemblies.
He said the Secretariat’s role is focused on the broader policy direction and coordination of the 24-Hour Economy initiative, rather than taking control of every project that carries the programme’s branding.
The clarification comes amid growing public interest in the government’s plans to establish markets capable of operating around the clock as part of efforts to stimulate economic activity, improve distribution systems and create opportunities for businesses and traders.
Mr Tannoh’s comments are therefore expected to help distinguish between projects implemented directly under the 24-Hour Economy Secretariat and those being undertaken by other government institutions as part of the wider policy framework.
He maintained that while the proposed markets could contribute significantly to the government’s supply-chain and economic objectives, questions concerning their locations, implementation and administration should be directed to the Ministry of Local Government and the relevant district assemblies.
The clarification also highlights the need for clearer institutional responsibility as government rolls out various components of the 24-Hour Economy agenda, particularly where projects share the programme’s branding but are implemented by separate state institutions.
By 1960news.com
