The Minority in Parliament has called on the Government to undertake an immediate and comprehensive review of its 24-Hour Market Programme, arguing that the initiative, in its current form, is poorly planned and does not adequately respond to the varying development needs of communities across the country.
Addressing the media on Monday, September 14,2026, in Parliament, Ranking Member on the Local Government and Rural Development Committee, Francis Asenso-Boakye, said the Minority was not opposed to the construction and modernisation of markets or to extended trading hours where there was genuine economic demand.
He said the concern was with what the Minority described as a “one-size-fits-all” approach to constructing 24-hour markets across districts with different populations, economic activities, existing infrastructure and development priorities.
According to Mr Asenso-Boakye, the Government had yet to adequately demonstrate the needs assessments, feasibility studies and local development plans guiding the selection and implementation of the projects.
He argued that District Assemblies, as local planning authorities, should play a central role in determining development priorities within their jurisdictions.
“Some districts need new markets. Others need their existing markets rehabilitated or expanded. Some already have markets under construction, while others may have more urgent needs such as roads, drainage, schools, health facilities or sanitation infrastructure,” he said.
The Minority therefore questioned the rationale for imposing essentially the same type of project across districts without sufficient regard for their specific circumstances.
Mr. Asenso-Boakye stated that such an approach risked undermining the principle of decentralisation, stressing that development priorities should be informed by the needs of the people at the local level.
The Minority also raised concerns about the demolition and proposed demolition of existing public and community facilities to make way for some of the projects, saying the development raised questions about planning and value for money.
The Minority cited the reported demolition of existing facilities in parts of the country as examples of the need for greater scrutiny and consultation before projects are implemented.
It said public resources should not be used to replace functional or recently constructed facilities without clear evidence that demolition and reconstruction would provide greater value to the affected communities. – Asenso-Boakye Said
“At a time of severe fiscal constraints, Government must explain the economic justification for destroying useful and, in some cases, recently constructed public assets, only to spend scarce public resources replacing them,” the Minority said.
The Minority further maintained that the viability of a 24-hour economy market must be determined by actual economic demand rather than simply the availability of a project site.
For markets to operate successfully around the clock, it said, there must be sufficient commercial activity, traders willing to operate at night, customers, security, transportation, electricity, sanitation and other supporting services.
“These conditions differ from one district to another,” the Minority said.
He argued that the Government should first determine whether a community genuinely requires a new 24-hour market before committing scarce public resources to construction.
The Minority is consequently demanding that the programme be redesigned to become needs-based and demand-driven, with District development plans guiding the selection of projects.
It also called for existing markets to be rehabilitated where that would be the better option, while markets already under construction should be completed rather than abandoned or demolished.
The Minority further appealed to the Government to deepen consultation with District Assemblies, traders, traditional authorities, residents and other stakeholders before proceeding with projects that could affect existing facilities and livelihoods.
“Development must be based on need, proper planning, consultation and value for money,” the Minority said, urging Government to pause and review the programme before proceeding further.
By Benjamin Aidoo
