The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) is advancing a unified approach to national development, emphasising integration and long-term continuity.
At a stakeholder engagement in the Eastern Region, the Commission’s Chairman, Nii Moi Thompson, framed the conversation around what he described as the cost of fragmented policy cycles. Ghana, he indicated, cannot sustain progress under what he termed an “incrementalist approach,” where successive frameworks are introduced without full execution.
Referencing earlier national visions such as Ghana Beyond Aid and Vision 2057, he stressed that long-term planning must centre on “defining goals” and ensuring continuity rather than shifting priorities with political transitions.
Central to the Commission’s diagnosis is the structure of the domestic economy. Thompson described informality as “the weakest link” in Ghana’s development chain. Although the sector accounts for roughly 92 per cent of businesses and absorbs nearly 90 per cent of the workforce, its output contribution remains disproportionately low at about 20 per cent of GDP.
The imbalance, he argued, reflects limited value addition and productivity constraints. Metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies were therefore encouraged to intensify formalisation strategies and adopt productivity-enhancing models, including the Start and Improve Your Business initiative.
NDPC is exploring institutional modernisation. Thompson revealed that the Commission has begun integrating Artificial Intelligence tools into aspects of its technical workflow. Such tools, he noted, could “minimise the workload” and “expedite certain processes,” particularly in synthesising district development plans. The intention is to mainstream these digital applications at the national level before cascading them to regional and district planning units.
The Chairman also redirected attention to governance culture, arguing that development must encompass asset preservation as much as infrastructure expansion. Invoking the logic of the “broken window” theory, he suggested that early neglect of minor defects often accelerates systemic deterioration. Encroached roads, eroded school lands and damaged pavements, he observed, represent avoidable lapses that compound fiscal pressures over time.
Operationally, the Commission is tightening compliance standards around planning and reporting. The Director-General, Audrey Smock Amoah, outlined the statutory framework guiding plan preparation and performance monitoring, drawing attention to Legislative Instrument 2232, which regulates Annual Progress Reports (APRs). While acknowledging that many districts in the Eastern Region achieved ratings of “excellent,” “very good,” and “good,” she emphasised that performance metrics must translate into “actual development” visible within communities.
She indicated that several assemblies have secured certification for their development plans, though some remain pending due to unresolved review comments. The Regional Coordinating Council, she added, has completed its certification process, reinforcing institutional alignment within the region.
For the Eastern Regional Minister, Rita Akosua Adjei Awatey, the debate ultimately centres on coherence and ownership. A “consolidated, comprehensive” and collectively endorsed plan, she argued, would reduce the prevalence of abandoned projects and strengthen implementation discipline. The success of the long-term framework, in her view, will hinge on inclusivity, accountability and sustained execution.
Traditional authorities also lent their voice to the consultations. During a courtesy call, the President of the Eastern Regional House of Chiefs cautioned against development models driven by short-term gain. Without a sustainable lens, he warned, farmers who prioritise immediate returns risk becoming “the poorest” in the years ahead.
As engagements progress across the regions, the National Development Planning Commission appears to be steering the country toward a more structured and disciplined development pathway, one that replaces fragmented policy cycles with a unified, performance-oriented and digitally supported framework aimed at safeguarding long-term national growth.
