Expert calls for workforce restructuring ahead of 24-hour economy launch
By: Rebecca Okine
As Ghana prepares to launch its 24-hour economic policy on July 1, 2025, human resource expert Kwesi Hagan has cautioned that addressing inefficiencies, particularly overstaffing in organizations, should be a priority before recruiting new personnel.
Mr. Hagan made the remarks during a panel discussion on Zed FM’s current affairs show The Focus on Saturday, following President John Dramani Mahama’s formal announcement of the 24-hour policy earlier in the week.
The new policy aims to drive continuous productivity across key sectors such as agriculture, manufacturing, transportation, and healthcare. Its initial phase will focus on round-the-clock operations at the Tema and Takoradi ports, strategic trade points for Ghana and the sub-region.
While praising the vision behind the initiative, Mr. Hagan warned that rolling out such a system without first assessing the current workforce structure could undermine its success.
“As an HR professional, I believe the first step should be job evaluations and audits. We know some public sector departments are overstaffed during daytime hours. Before we think about recruiting more people, we need to reassign underutilized workers to the new shifts,” Mr. Hagan said.
He also emphasized that change management must not be overlooked. “This is a major cultural and operational shift. Employees need to be properly sensitized, screened, and supported. Night shifts raise issues of health and safety, and we must also revisit job descriptions and performance metrics to reflect the demands of a 24-hour work cycle,” Mr. Hagan noted.
A key concern, according to Mr. Hagan, lies in Ghana’s current labor laws. “In many countries, night workers receive higher pay, but here there is no legal provision for that. It’s something we must urgently look into if we want this policy to work effectively,” he stated.
Mr. Hagan further recommended a phased approach to recruitment. “Instead of rushing to bring in new workers, HR departments, both public and private, should begin by identifying departments where workers are underutilized. Reassigning them to support the 24-hour system increases efficiency without inflating the wage bill,” he emphasized.
The 24-hour economy, one of President Mahama’s flagship promises, is expected to create jobs, stimulate economic growth, and reduce congestion in daytime services. However, experts like Mr. Hagan believe that these outcomes hinge on careful planning and human capital management.
“The policy is a good one, but success will depend on how well we prepare the workforce. It’s not just about extending hours but about restructuring work to deliver real value,” Mr. Hagan added.
