The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) is not an extension of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), a Commission member emphasised on Monday.

Mr. Jacob Buabeng Ntim-Adjei, the Brong-Ahafo Regional Commissioner of the NDPC stated that Article 87 of the 1992 constitution established and mandated the NDPC to advice the President on matters of national development.

He was speaking at the opening session of the Brong-Ahafo Regional forum on the preparation of the long-term national development plan, at Abesim, near Sunyani.

Organised by the NDPC and being attended by Municipal and District Chief Executives, traditional and religious leaders, civil society groups and assembly members, the Commission is using the platform to collect views for the proposed 40-year national development plan.

Mr. Ntim-Adjei noted that the undue politicisation of the Commission’s mandate by some political parties would not augur well for accelerated national development.

He said the NDPC continued to give advice to successive governments on matters relating to national progress, emphasising that it remained non-partisan in the course of its constitutional duties.

Mr. Ntim-Adjei who is an educationist stressed that planning is required to give the country a sense of direction, and entreated Ghanaians to contribute to the on-going national discourse on the long term development plan.

Mr. Justice Samuel Adjei, the Deputy Brong-Ahafo Regional Minister, expressed appreciation to the NDPC in pursuing the 40-year long term development plan and asked Ghanaians to make significant inputs into the process.