Richard Ahiagbah, Director of Communications for the New Patriotic Party (NPP), has raised questions about a viral video promoting a proposal by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) suggesting that banks should operate 24 hours a day.
In his post on X, Mr. Ahiagbah questioned the practicality of this initiative, highlighting that modern banking already provides around-the-clock services through Automated Teller Machines (ATMs), online banking, and Mobile Money (MoMo).
He emphasized that ATMs and online banking provide customers with 24-hour access to their accounts, making the need for physical banking halls less relevant.
Mr. Ahiagbah highlighted the benefits of MoMo transactions, which have been improved through financial interoperability under Vice President Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia, ensuring continuous service availability for users.
He also challenged the NDC to clarify whether they had consulted with banks on the feasibility of such a proposal, suggesting that financial institutions would likely be unwilling to operate on a 24-hour basis when existing technologies already meet customer demands.
In his post, he described the NDC’s proposal as a “reset to the Stone Age,” contrasting it with Dr. Bawumia’s vision of leveraging artificial intelligence, big data, and the Internet of Things to create new opportunities for Ghana’s youth. Ahiagbah asserted that the NDC’s approach reflects a disconnect from the realities of contemporary banking and technological advancements.
