The Member of Parliament for Bolgatanga Central, Isaac Adongo, has ‘schooled’ Dr. Matthew Opoku Prempeh, the Vice-Presidential candidate of the governing New Patriotic Party (NPP), on why the next NDC administration intends to make nightclubs a part of its 24-hour-economy.
According to the Ranking Member on the Finance Committee of Parliament, Dr. Opoku Prempeh’s lack of understanding of nightclubs as part of the entertainment value chain in the tourism sector is the reason he took a swipe at the inclusion of nightclubs in the party’s 24-hour economy.
Dr. Bawumia’s running mate, also known as ‘NAPO’, condemned the NDC policy, saying it would not benefit the country after the party’s Presidential Candidate, John Dramani Mahama, suggested that nightclubs would also benefit from the 24-hour economy policy.
According to NAPO, the NDC’s plan to promote 24-hour nightclubs was a strong indication that it lacked ideas and also doesn’t have the interest and well-being of the people, especially the energetic youth, at heart.
Instead of 24-hour nightclubs, he said Dr Mahamudu Bawumia and the NPP, who have the country at heart, would rather empower the people, notably the youth, with valuable skills, which would enhance their future.
“The NPP and our presidential candidate, Dr Bawumia, has the interest and welfare of the citizens at heart, so we will empower them with valuable skills and not a 24-hour nightclub, which is of no benefit,” he noted.
NAPO, who was speaking during the 2nd annual conference of the Ghana Union of Professional Tailors and Dressmakers Association on Friday, August 30, 2024, stated that linking the NDC’s 24-hour economy policy to nightclubs proves the party’s gross incompetence.
But responding to him during an engagement with students of the Tamale Technical University Saturday, September 21, 2024, Mr. Adongo explained how nightclubs are classified under the entertainment value chain within the tourism industry, and how it intends boosting the sector and the economy as a whole.
“Those of you who are close to my good brother, NAPO, let him hear, that we define night clubs as entertainment centres and within the night clubs there’s a value chain that we want to address with our 24-hour economy. If we treat night clubs as entertainment centres, what it means is that we recognize that people will go to work in the morning and go to the entertainment centres in the night.
“Some of them will go to the market and buy foodstuffs and drinks to the entertainment centre. Some of them will be cooking for them. So, don’t focus on the people who will come and dance [alone], but before they came, they ate and somebody prepared the food. When they came they drank, somebody prepared the drink and then somebody is taking them home to go and rest so if you understand tourism, you understand nightclubs as entertainment centres,” he explained.
“So, for those who think that they have gotten a partway, please, they should go and learn about entertainment centres within the confines of providing tourism and entertainment for the people of Ghana,” he added.
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