The State Interests and Governance Authority (SIGA) has signaled plans to review and realign the performance contracts of specified entities under its oversight, in line with the government’s 24-hour economy initiative.
According to SIGA, the goal is to ensure public sector workers have a clear understanding of their work schedules—paving the way for more job opportunities and improving overall productivity.
Speaking to the media after a leadership dialogue held on Wednesday, July 23, 2025, on Ghana’s 24-hour economy—organised by BERKH Africa in partnership with the Institute of Directors-Ghana—SIGA Director-General Prof. Michael Kpessa-Whyte emphasised the need to adapt performance contracts to reflect the goals of the initiative.
“One of the ways we can track the impact of the 24-hour economy is by monitoring the performance and productivity of specified entities under SIGA. These entities already operate under performance contracts with defined Key Performance Indicators (KPIs),” Prof. Kpessa-Whyte stated.
“To align with the 24-hour economy, we must tweak the framework of these contracts—ensuring that where feasible, entities operate beyond the traditional 9-to-5 schedule, potentially extending work hours into the evening.”
Meanwhile, Executive Secretary of the National Labour Commission, Dr. Bernice Anowa Welbeck, called for enhanced collaboration with capacity-building institutions to support businesses transitioning to the 24-hour model. She also highlighted the need for better resourcing of the Labour Department to enable effective supervision of its implementation.
“When labour inspections are conducted, findings related to worker exploitation can be reported. If unresolved after advisory, the matter can be escalated to the Commission for action,” she explained.
Abdul Nasser Alidu, Head of Strategy and Programmes at the 24-Hour Secretariat, identified agriculture as a key pillar of the initiative—particularly under the Grow 24 programme. He noted that value chains such as rice, maize, tomatoes, onions, oil palm, and soybeans are being prioritised due to their influence on food inflation.
He also revealed plans to establish agro-industrial parks along the Volta Economic Corridor to bolster productivity in the sector.
In her opening remarks, Lizzy-Ann Kwaggbedzi, Country Lead for BERKH Africa, emphasized that the 24-hour economy extends beyond simply extending business hours.
“The idea of a 24-hour economy is not just about keeping businesses open longer; it challenges us to innovate business models, expand market access, leverage digital transformation, and build resilient supply chains,” she said.
The theme for the event was: “Innovating for Growth: Adapting Business Models to Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy”.
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