24-Hour economy must include safeguards for workers, Expert says

Employment and labor law expert Nana Madina Ibrahim has raised red flags over what she describes as rising incidents of labor exploitation linked to Ghana’s push for a 24-hour economy.

The Ghana Labour Act (2003), Act 651, outlines provisions for the fair treatment of workers, including adequate rest, compensation, and safe working conditions.

Enforcement remains a major challenge. As the country explores this 24-hour model, labor experts are calling for a deliberate focus on worker protections to ensure economic progress does not come at the cost of human dignity and rights.

Speaking on Business Breakfast on Zed FM, Madam Ibrahim acknowledged that some businesses have begun implementing night shifts in line with the government’s 24-hour economy vision.

However, she highlighted that many of these workers are being denied basic entitlements such as night and transportation allowances.

“Your normal salary is different from a night allowance. Night allowance serves as a motivation and a form of caution. You should be sleeping, but you’re working. There’s a huge difference between working during the day and at night,” she explained.

According to her, some employers take advantage of the country’s high unemployment rate to threaten or silence employees who demand their rights.

“When you complain, they tell you, ‘Look, we have a lot of people ready to do this job,’” the labour expert noted.

She emphasized that while the situation is partly due to national economic challenges, it should not excuse the lack of protection for workers.

The labour expect explained, “It’s not entirely the employer’s fault, it’s the economic environment. But that’s exactly why workers need to be part of the conversation.”

Ms. Ibrahim urged stakeholders driving the 24-hour economy agenda to go beyond infrastructure by including robust employee welfare systems, noting that discussions around a new employment policy remain vague and fail to outline how worker rights and benefits will be safeguarded.

 “If the 24-hour economy isn’t carefully structured, it risks opening the door to increased worker exploitation. We deserve a seat at the table—discuss infrastructure, modernization, and digitalization, but don’t leave out workers’ rights,” she emphasized.

She  also called on policymakers to clearly define how the new employment policy will address night shift compensation, job security, and labor rights, especially as the country transitions into a round-the-clock working economy.