“Why Build New When You Can Fix What’s Broken?” — Prof Bokpin’s Wake-Up Call on Ghana’s 24-Hour Economy and 1D1F
— A brutally honest reminder that sometimes, less is more.
-The other day I was stuck in traffic on the Spintex Road (again).
The radio was blaring. My taxi driver was cursing at another driver who’d cut us off. And then this headline came on:
> “Prof. Bokpin advises: Run 24-Hour Economy, 1D1F through existing agencies to cut costs.”
And I froze for a second — because you know what?
That actually makes sense.
-Here’s the Thing…
We’ve all been here before, right?
A shiny new government policy is announced.
Press conferences. Banners. Catchy slogans. Everyone claps.
And then… nothing changes.
In my experience, we often rush to launch brand-new projects without fixing the cracks in the old ones.
We pile shiny paint on rotten wood.
We open “new” offices while the old ones gather dust.
And the worst part?
We act surprised when the whole thing collapses two years later.
-So Why Not Just Use What We Have?
Prof Bokpin’s point is simple:
We don’t need more bureaucracy.
We don’t need more boards, more logos, more fat salaries at the top.
We already have agencies that were built to handle these things — industrial development, job creation, regional planning, you name it.
So why are we reinventing the wheel?
Why not just oil it and make it spin better?
-What I’ve Noticed Lately…
I could be wrong, but…
It feels like governments (both this one and the ones before) are addicted to the optics of “new.”
New initiative. New name. New app. New launch.
But deep down? It’s the same people, the same problems, the same underfunded agencies limping along.
Meanwhile, taxpayers — you and me — keep footing the bill.
-Let’s Be Real
Do we need a 24-Hour Economy? Absolutely.
Do we need factories in every district (1D1F)? 100%.
But here’s a thought:
If our existing agencies aren’t even able to enforce simple things like sanitation laws or market regulations… how are they going to magically make these new shiny policies work?
It’s like giving a broken car a new paint job and expecting it to win a race.
-Everyday Examples
Think about it:
You walk into some of these district offices and the lights are out.
Printers don’t work.
The staff are underpaid and unmotivated.
There are files stacked to the ceiling because no one’s digitized anything since 1987.
And yet… here we are creating “new” departments for the same old work.
-A Question That Lingers
So maybe it’s time to pause and ask:
What if we invested all that money meant for new agencies into fixing and strengthening the old ones?
Wouldn’t that save us costs — and actually deliver results faster?
I’m not totally sure.
But it’s worth thinking about.
Because one day, we might look around and realize:
We didn’t need a bigger government.
We just needed a better one.
-So… what do you think?
Are we building a house of cards while the foundation crumbles?
Or can we finally get it right this time?