The three-day event, scheduled to end on Thursday, January 8, 2026, will be held on the theme: “Building the Ghana We Want Together for Sustainable Development.” President John Dramani Mahama will be the special guest of honour at the opening ceremony, while Dr Ishmael Yamson, Board Chairman of MTN Ghana, will deliver the keynote address. Ms. Marietta Brew Appiah-Oppong, Chairperson of the University of Ghana Council, will also attend.

The conference is being organised by the School of Continuing and Distance Education and the College of Education of the University of Ghana. Speaking at the launch in November 2025, Mr. Goosie Obuadum Tanoh, Presidential Advisor on the 24-Hour Economy, said the theme captured the national mood, noting that people wanted steady work, reliable markets and a country organised for growth. “The theme asks us to take a clear-eyed look at what must change if we want Ghana to succeed in a more competitive world,” he said.

Mr. Tanoh explained that the 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme (24H+) was the Government’s coordinated response to the country’s structured pathway to transformation. He said the programme focused on productivity, trade, and competitiveness, aimed at building a reliable and industrial economy that created opportunities. 

Mr. Tanoh added that the 24H+ programme was organised around three core pillars designed to respond directly to the structural constraints of the economy. The first pillar focused on production delivered through Growth24, Make24, Build24, and Show24. The second pillar targeted strengthening Ghana’s supply chains and market systems, while the third placed people at the centre of national transformation. 

The New Year School and Conference have, over the years, provided a platform for experts and academics to deliberate on issues of national concern and make recommendations to support national development.