The Founder and Leader of the All People’s Congress (APC), Dr. Hassan Ayariga, has questioned the government’s decision to change the terminology from “24 Hour Markets” to “District Model Markets.”
Dr. Ayariga says the change requires clear explanation, given the strong association between the 24 hour Market concept and the government’s flagship 24 Hour Economy policy.
In a statement, the APC said the 24 hour Market concept had provided a practical and visible identity to the policy by creating an understanding that selected markets and commercial centres could operate beyond conventional working hours.
The party said the initiative had the potential to create opportunities for businesses, traders, workers and consumers as part of a broader economy operating beyond traditional working hours.
Dr. Ayariga said any decision to change the name or identity of the initiative must therefore be properly explained to the public.
“The APC therefore believes that any decision to change the name or identity of the 24 Hour Markets must be properly explained to the Ghanaian people.”
He acknowledged that government may be seeking to broaden the initiative by developing modern model markets across the districts, but warned that removing the “24 Hour” identity without adequate public communication could create uncertainty about the policy.
According to him, the rebranding could create the perception that the original 24 Hour Market concept has been abandoned or is no longer central to the government’s policy direction.
The APC also believes the change could provide an opportunity for political opponents and critics to portray the rebranding as an indication that a component of the 24 Hour Economy agenda has not delivered the intended results.
Dr. Ayariga therefore urged government to ensure consistency between its campaign commitments, policy implementation and public communication.
He proposed that government consider retaining the 24 Hour identity while incorporating the broader district market development objective.
“If the objective is to combine the 24 Hour Economy concept with a broader district market development programme, government could consider a name such as ‘24 Hour District Model Markets.’”
The APC said such a name would preserve the visibility of the 24 Hour Economy policy while allowing government to pursue the development of modern markets across the districts.
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