Editorial: 24hr Economy In The Midst Of Non-Functioning Streetlights

As earlier promised, President John Dramani Mahama yesterday, July 2, 2025 launched the much-talked about 24 hour Economy in Accra. Under the policy, companies that ascribe to it will run a 24 hour shift system, thereby increasing productivity and also boosting employment. Since majority of Ghanaians, especially the youth, have no work to do, The Chronicle welcomes the policy.

The government is struggling to stop illegal mining because the youth see it as the only way they can also make money to take care of their families. But with the 24 Hour Economy, more jobs are going to be created, especially for the unskilled youth. This is the reason why we are praying that the policy should succeed to serve the best interest of the country.

The Chronicle does not, however, believe that the 24hr Economy can thrive in the midst of non-functioning street lights especially in Accra. The Greater Accra Regional Minister, Linda AkweleyOcloo, in February, this year, pledged to restore 70% of Accra’s streetlights within the next 50 days, as part of efforts to improve security and visibility in the city.

According to her, addressing the issue of faulty streetlights was one of her topmost priorities.Speaking to journalists in Accra as reported by citinewsroom.com- Ms Linda AkweleyOcloo reaffirmed her commitment to enhancing the capital’s infrastructure and ensuring well-lit streets within her first 50 days in office.

“In fact, within 50 days in office, all these things should be fixed. I will make sure that at least 70 percent of the streetlights should be fixed. So these are some of the things we are going to check, and like I said, I am going to work together with the MMDAs,” she said at the time.

On March 27, this year, Ms Linda Akweley Ocloo, again spoke to the media where she expressed her satisfaction with the installation and repair of streetlights in several parts of Greater Accra region, describing it as a major step towards improving security and visibility in the capital.

According to the Minister, malfunctioning streetlights on 129 streets have been fixed within the first 50 days of her tenure, in line with her commitment to ensuring that 70 per cent of Accra’s streetlights are fully operational.

She named some of the well-lit streets as the George Bush Highway, Independence Avenue, Nima Highway, Professor J.E. Atta Mills Highway, 28th February Road and the ACP Pokuase Interchange. After the regional minister had made these claims, President Mahama commended her during one of his engagements at the Jubilee House.

The Chronicle does not know if the president himself drove on some of these popular streets in Accra in the night, before patting his minister’s back.

The truth of the situation is that only few bulbs on these streets mentioned by the minister are working. The editorial team members of The Chronicle have been driving on the George Walker Bush Highway almost on daily basis and can report that the street lights are not functioning as claimed by the minister.

From Tetteh Quashie Circle to Adenta, only few of the bulbs are working – from Standard Authority traffic light to that of Okponglo. The same story can be said when it comes to Liberation Road and Achimota-Ofanko among others.

Even the road from Major Mahama Circle to Tse Ado, where President Mahama has his private residence, the street is not well lit in the night. This is the reason why we are wondering where President Mahama got his information from before commending the minister for the good job done when major parts of Accra streets are always in the darkness.

Somewhere in the year 2005, Prof Kwamena Ahwoi, Minister for Local Government and Rural Development, during the Jerry Rawlings regime, made a revelation on GoodNews FM in Takoradi.

According to him, President Rawlings never relied hundred per cent on intelligence giving to him from official sources. He had his own counter intelligence and that he only acted when his personal intelligence and that of official sources are the same.

The Chronicle advises President Mahama to adopt the Rawlings strategy to outwit any attempt to hoodwink him into believing in certain information that may not be factual. In the case we are referencing, we suspect the president read the claim made by his minister in the media and he fell for it. In our opinion, 24hr economy without proper functioning streetlights will not make any meaningful impact.

When workers are attacked by social miscreants when they are going or retuning from night shifts, they would be discouraged from attending these night shifts and that will defeat the purpose of the 24hr economy. As we earlier indicated, it is a good policy and that is why we expect the president to sit up and ensure that his ministers help him to achieve his aim.

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