Kwesi Yankah
A 24-Hour Economy? or E-Comedy? Or E-Tragedy?
A new national policy launched over a year ago is so late in coming, the schedule officer could as well issue the notice: ‘we are still looking into it.’ It is also the policy teeming youths still await to take them out of joblessness. Die-hard believers even though skeptical have not given up, driven by sheer faith ‘in His Mighty Name.’ The situation is similar to Gen Acheampong’s proposed Union Government in the late 1970s, which required considerable faith to swallow, and led to the slogan: ‘Union Government, Yɛnte aseɛ, nso yɛasɔmu’(Union Government: hard to swallow yet we support). In those heady of military governments, that was the safest slogan to chant in order to forestall imperial orders of ‘monkye no….’
Happily though, many admit this is an albatross the big boss has brought home, but will be too embarrassing to withdraw. Said one Govt official, Cadman Mills on a trip abroad, ‘The 24-hour policy is a good campaign message, but doesn’t really make sense….’
I am probably not alone having a hard time with the 24-hour logic. Not even after a simple formula had been introduced: ‘Formula 1-3-3:’ One job, three shifts, three workers. And what does this mean for the jobless? Is it one monthly salary multiplied by three workers? 2) One salary shared by three workers? or 3) One salary multiplied by free labor? Next, from whose 24-hour pocket was salary coming?
In the course of all this, came the sudden roaring of bull dozers across the country one morning. A demolition squad flexing its muscles. Their mission was important: to pave way for the new Queen of Job-Creation, 24 hour markets. A total of 261 round-the-clock markets across the country! To ensure this, ‘demolish obstacles in the way of the Queen.’ The outcome has been an eye sore: mosques pulled down; school buildings crushed; homes flattened; stores destroyed, kiosks pulverized. Then this horror tale: nearly completed markets demolished! In many cases No warning, no caution, no notice.
Across the country, you find trails of women’s tear drops; they have lost investment; been rendered homeless, devastated, helpless. They wailed, sobbed, cried; others cursed and confronted the heartless vandals. “Demolishing an uncompleted market for a new market is insane,” said one radio presenter normally friendly to Government: “This is a complete waste of the taxpayers money.”
But who masterminded this assault? Newsmen rushed to the secretariat of the 24 Hour Economy only to be told by its Director, ‘we have no idea…not our baby.” So whose baby was this? Silence.
Protests across the country continue: market women, chiefs, youths at Aowin, Enchi, Abossey Okai Zongo, Aseebu etc. At Aowin, the street protest was rowdy. Men and women in mourning gear, held placards: ‘We don’t want the 24hour market:’ ‘No Konkomma Yam Market here,’ ‘No Nzema Market No Accra… Yɛn ani abre abre kɔɔ’
‘Choooboei, 24 hour economy market yɛmpɛ ooooo.’ Aowin voices chanted in anger.
One woman facing cameras had a longer message:
“I stand here for market women, women who have toiled to take their children to school.. Mr President, go to the markets in Accra at 2pm and see how women toil to keep families alive. When you promised us the 24 hour economy, we didn’t dream you were going to demolish our structures…structures from which we look after our children.. Women have taken loans to work …and have to pay back….The children of many are in universities, nursing schools. ..how many jobs has Govt created? Is this what you promised? You have made us a laughing stock of the opposition, many point to what JDM has done to us…Who will wake up at dawn to sell pepper and tomatoes? Which markets? I have gone for loans, I am a citizen and I will talk …
“Those who woke up at dawn to vote, you have disappointed them; they have regretted… You have enabled NPP to make us a laughing stock; I am so pained, I was so heated till I spoke this to camera, now my heart has cooled down…” She said sobbing.
It is more scary to realize that what appears to be war on women’s livelihood is only a curtain raiser; the actual 24-hour package when fully unleashed may trigger thunder and earthquakes.
By what logic were 24 hour markets birthed? None except for comic relief. Markets normally close at 5pm when sellers and buyers disappear and night creatures take over. Indeed many women normally rush home at 5pm to baby sit Daddy… and possibly change his diapers.
Hear one angry chief from the Central region: ‘Who will buy koobi at midnight in Asebu?’ (comic relief) Indeed our local siblings often think policy makers in cities are simply dumb, only creating 24 hour opportunities for themselves. The entire market project could simply be 24hour create, 24 hour loot, 24hour share. CONTRACTS! Not simply single sourcing, but night-sourcing!
And don’t forget possible outcomes of this comedy: abandoned market sites turned into motels by pilgrims of the night, comedy; day students from community schools celebrating the arrival of free housing in empty markets: comedy.
Yet a few may indeed benefit from midnight markets. Don’t forget citizens returning from wake keeping, but also the moral majority: those coming home from ‘Awɔɔ shia.’
Finally a friendly advice to policy makers: Never site a 24hour market within a kilometer of local cemeteries.
At midnight and beyond, there may be unusual clients. Hahahahaha.
kyankah@ashesi.edu.gh
