2 million hectares set for irrigation under Mahama’s Grow24 plan
By Rebecca Okine
President John Dramani Mahama has announced that over two million hectares of land will be irrigated under Grow24, one of the flagship programs of Ghana’s newly launched 24-Hour Economy initiative.
The President made this known on Tuesday, July 2, 2025, at the official launch held at the Accra International Conference Centre (AICC).
Describing the 24-Hour Economy as “the beginning of a massive national mobilization for productivity and economic growth,” President Mahama said the initiative focuses on “high impact, job rich and export oriented sectors with strong forward and backward linkages.”
He explained that the Grow24 program is specifically designed to drive agricultural productivity and food security.
“We will irrigate over two million hectares of land for intensive agriculture under Grow24,” he announced.
President Mahama further linked the move to a broader historical vision, stating that the 24 Hour Economy revives a lost part of Ghana’s development agenda.
“Dr. Kwame Nkrumah saw the Volta Project as more than a power source, it was meant to support agribusiness and irrigation. That vision was lost, but today, we are bringing it back,” he indicated.
The Volta Economic Corridor, according to the President, is the anchor of the 24 Hour Economy strategy. The President also outlined other key components of the policy.
“We will establish agro industrial parks for textiles, motorcycles and food processing under Make24. We will develop tourism clusters under Show24, improve logistics through Connect24, and unlock financing under Fund24. Aspire24 will focus on building skills, and Go24 will mobilize all sectors religious, academic, security for national productivity and pride,” he said.
The President stressed that the 24-Hour Economy initiative focuses on improving efficiency and targeted interventions, rather than simply extending working hours or attempting to address every challenge at once.
Speaking at the event, Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economic Policy, Goosie Tanoh, stressed the program’s openness to feedback.
“We see the 24-Hour program as a living program, criticism is welcome,” he said.
Mr. Tanoh also highlighted the importance of national backing for the success of the initiative.
“The social and political costs of inaction are terrifying, but this is a sensible program and the people of Ghana are resilient so I call on you all to support it,” he urged.
The 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Program (24H plus) stands as the flagship program of the new Mahama led administration. Launched yesterday, the policy aims to establish a system where productivity is optimized around the clock across key sectors of the economy. By targeting job rich, high impact industries with strong linkages, the initiative is expected to drive inclusive growth and national development. Over the next four years, it is projected to create approximately 1.7 million jobs, offering new opportunities for Ghanaians while positioning the country for sustained economic transformation.
