Mahama Cuts Sod for 24-Hour Economy Model Market in Juapong, Volta Region
- President John Mahama cut the sod for a Category Four 24-Hour Economy Model Market in Juapong on July 16
- The Juapong facility ranks among the largest markets under the 24-Hour Economy programme and will serve the entire Volta Region
- The market will provide storage, processing, digital commerce, and financial services infrastructure for traders and farmers
President John Mahama has broken ground for a 24-Hour Economy Model Market in Juapong, North Tongu District, launching one of the flagship projects under his administration's economic agenda during a two-day Resetting Ghana Tour of the Volta Region.
The sod-cutting ceremony took place on July 16, with the President telling residents and stakeholders that the facility is intended to serve as far more than a conventional trading space.
Source: Facebook
Mahama said the market would offer infrastructure for storage, processing, packaging, distribution, digital commerce, and access to financial services, positioning it as a full-service economic hub for farmers, traders, entrepreneurs, and small businesses across the region.
The Juapong facility has been classified as a Category Four Market, the highest tier within the 24-Hour Economy programme, signalling its scale and strategic importance.
Mahama indicated that the town's geographical location gives it strong potential to develop into a major commercial and industrial centre within the Volta Region, making it a logical anchor for this level of investment.
Photos from the sod-cutting were shared on Facebook.
The president also reaffirmed his administration's broader development agenda for the region, citing planned investments in roads, healthcare, education, agriculture, transport, and agro-industrial initiatives as part of a coordinated effort to drive growth across the Volta Region.
The sod-cutting in Juapong formed part of a wider two-day programme through the Volta Region, during which Mahama met with residents and local stakeholders to outline government plans for the area. The President framed the market project as an example of the kind of strategic infrastructure investment his administration intends to pursue to stimulate local commerce and generate sustainable employment.
About the 24 Hour Economy
The 24-Hour Economy and Accelerated Export Development Programme is a national production-led revamp of Ghana’s import-dependent, low-value raw-material-exporting economy.
The government's vision is to turn the economy into a modern, self-reliant, and globally competitive one that works around the clock to deliver productivity, sustainable growth, jobs, and food security.
The Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, called for the establishment of 24-hour markets in Ghana’s district city centres to boost local development.
The initiative would include shift systems in factories, extended market hours, and certain essential services like pharmacies, police stations, and health posts.
Government cancels 1D1F programme
The Mahama administration cancelled the One District One Factory (1D1F) initiative, a flagship programme introduced under the Akufo-Addo administration.
YEN.com.gh reported that the decision was announced by the Minister for Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Elizabeth Ofosu-Adjare, during a parliamentary session on Tuesday, July 8, 2025.
The government is working to replace the 1D1F initiative with a new industrial strategy focused on round-the-clock agro-processing hubs under the 24-hour economy policy.
Source: YEN.com.gh
