In an interview with the Ghana News Agency (GNA) on Thursday, Mr Ayitey said the concept was not entirely new to the industry, pointing to hospitality elements such as food and beverage services, including night-time street vendors, and transport systems like Uber and Bolt, which already operated 24-hours. He said the initiative “is a very good thing” but there should be more private sector participation, provided the modalities and incentives were made clear. 

Mr Ayitey urged the government to consider what would stimulate demand to necessitate the extended working hours for stakeholders in the sector. He cited the planned development of the 1,000-kilometre stretch of the Volta Lake, which would promote tourism, adding: “I can picture tourists cruising from Elmina to the north, hopping off to spend a day or two at various points, enjoying local food and activities.” “Do you know the impact that will have on the local economy? And let’s say there’s a huge shopping mall. 

The tourists can go in to buy and do all kinds of things that will help grow the economy.” Mr Ayitey noted that with clarity and incentives, the private sector would buy into the 24-hour model, which would ultimately “help our Gross Domestic Product and our citizens, with the hospitality sector leading the way.”