Former Member of Parliament for Sissala East, Amidu Issahaku Chinnia, has criticised the National Democratic Congress (NDC) government’s 24-hour market projects, arguing that more attention should be given to viable industrial projects.

He said the government could have assessed and revived some of the factories initiated under the previous One District, One Factory (1D1F) programme instead of abandoning them for market construction.

Speaking on Accra-based Metro TV’s Good Morning Ghana programme on Monday, August 31, Chinnia noted that industrial projects have greater potential to create jobs and drive economic activity than the construction of large market facilities.

“I am not saying that the NDC government should take it wholesale, but they could have gone into it, assess the very viable ones like this one, even if they are carried on 50 to 100 of them because they were existing,” he stated.

The former MP said the concept of large traditional markets is gradually changing because consumers now have easier access to goods.

He argued that many communities now have shops operating daily, reducing the need for residents to wait for periodic market days to purchase basic items.

Chinnia said the shift in consumer behaviour, coupled with the growth of online businesses, should influence government’s priorities when deciding where to invest public resources.

He maintained that this did not mean markets were no longer relevant but argued that their traditional role had declined significantly.

The former MP further questioned whether constructing markets was the best approach if the government’s objective was to create jobs under its 24-hour economy agenda.

He said factories and other industrial ventures would provide more employment opportunities and generate greater economic activity.

“If you are implementing a policy that is supposed to create jobs, okay, between 1D1F policy and building of market, which will create more jobs? Of course, the factories will create more jobs,” he argued.