Professor Stephen Adei, Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) has announced that his outfit will kick start series of a monthly forum to engage the public on development policy and promote ownership and accountability for the implementation of national priorities.

The fora will focus on topical national issues about the economy; social development; spatial planning; infrastructure development; environment; and governance. It will ensure continuous engagement with the public and generate feedback for the policy process.

It will serve to share information on development issues, build consensus around broad national aspirations and priorities, manage expectations regarding Ghana’s development and engender a hopeful and actively engaged populace.

Professor Adei made this announcement at a press conference on Thursday, May 23, 2019.

The maiden forum will be held on Wednesday 29 May 2019, from 5 to 7 pm, at the Ghana Academy of Arts and Sciences, on the topic “Ghana@100: An Agenda Towards a Solidly Developed Nation”.

Topics to be discussed in subsequent fora would include Human Capital Requirement for Development in Ghana; Attitudinal Change for National Development; Advancing a Gender-based Development Agenda; Food and Nutrition; The Future of Work-Wages, Productivity and Employment; and Sanitation and Pollution (Noise).

Other topics would be: Infrastructure and Development; Private Sector Development; Youth Development; Corruption and National Development; National Security; Climate Change: Impact, Risks and Vulnerability; Mobilising Financial Resources for Development: The State and Prospect of Development Financing in Ghana; and Tracking Ghana’s Progress Towards Attainment of the SDGs.

He continued that "Ghana has made some considerable strides in its development agenda through its medium term development plans at national and sub-national levels, leading to its lower middle income status, the growth has neither translated into any appreciable change in the standards of living of many lives, nor has it reduced inequalities across the country".

Finally, he urged the media to assist the Commission to successfully organise the fora to help in informing, educating and providing platforms for public debate and discussions on national development.

This would also serve as a catalyst for citizen’s empowerment and invoke their participation in the process.

Background

The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), established by Article 86 and 87 of the 1992 Constitution is mandated to advise the President on development planning policy and strategy and, is responsible for coordinating the decentralised planning system of Ghana.

The 1992 Constitution of Ghana provides legal basis for a just, equitable and inclusive development of the country by all Governments. It enjoins governments to take all necessary action to ensure that the national economy is managed in such a manner as to maximize the rate of economic development and secure the maximum welfare, freedom and happiness of every person in Ghana and to provide adequate means of livelihood and suitable employment and public assistance to the needy.

To achieve this, successive governments have implemented various programmes and projects for national development.

They have used such interventions as a medium to operationalize the requirements of various global and continental development frameworks. These commitments take long term view of development, and underscore the critical importance of long-term development planning.