APC questions change from ‘24 hour markets’ to ‘district model markets’

Founder and Leader of the All People’s Congress (APC), Dr Hassan Ayariga, has called on the government to explain its decision to change the name of the “24-Hour Markets” initiative to “District Model Markets.”

His comments follow an announcement by the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Mahama Ayariga, that the government was reviewing the design and scope of the 24-hour model market initiative and planned to rename it “District Model Markets.” The review is intended to align the projects with available resources and facilitate their completion within two years.

In a statement issued on Monday, October 5, Dr Hassan Ayariga said the terminology change required clear communication because the 24-Hour Market concept had become closely associated with the government’s flagship 24-Hour Economy policy.

According to him, the original branding had provided the policy with a practical and visible identity by creating the impression that selected markets and commercial centres would operate beyond conventional working hours.

He said the initiative had the potential to create opportunities for traders, businesses, workers and consumers as part of a broader economic system operating beyond traditional business hours.

“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,” Dr Ayariga said.

He acknowledged that the government could be seeking to broaden the initiative by developing modern model markets across the districts. However, he cautioned that dropping the “24 Hour” identity without adequate public communication could create uncertainty about the policy’s direction.

Dr Ayariga said the rebranding could also create the impression that the original 24-Hour Market concept had been abandoned or was no longer central to the government’s 24-Hour Economy agenda.

The APC leader further said the change could become a subject of political criticism, with opponents potentially arguing that the rebranding reflected difficulties with delivering the original concept.

He therefore urged the government to ensure consistency between its campaign commitments, policy implementation and communication with the public.

Dr Ayariga proposed that the government retain the “24 Hour” identity while incorporating its broader objective of developing modern markets at the district level.

“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,’” he said.

The APC said such a name would preserve the visibility of the 24-Hour Economy policy while allowing the government to pursue the development of modern markets across the country.

Meanwhile, Mahama Ayariga has said the government is reviewing the market programme’s designs and scope to fit available resources and meet its target of completing the projects within two years. He also disclosed that the programme is being implemented across the 261 Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), with some projects already at various stages of development.

The government has also indicated that the market programme will form part of its broader efforts to promote local economic development and improve trading infrastructure.