Director General of the National Development Planning Commission, (NDPC), Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampah has said the commission will formulate policy development plans which are in line with the country’s budget.
According to him over the years, most of the Commission’s strategic development plans are not linked to the national budget making it difficult for its implementation.
“Our development plans will be linked to the national budget to seek execution and this will be done through working with the ministry”.
” We are working together with the Ministry of Finance to ensure that the country’s developmental initiative is implemented,” he said.
Dr. Mensah-Abrampah’s comments were in reaction to many accusations against the Commission’s ineffectiveness in ensuring the sustainability of government projects.
Issues of government unwillingness to complete projects initiated by previous governments hence abandoning the project to the detriment of the taxpayers were also raised.
He assured that with the coming into force of the new long-term development plan, project sustainability will be paramount to address the country’s socio-economic and environmental challenges and create a better future for its citizens.
He made this known at the two-day National Development Summit held in Accra.
The summit brought together key stakeholders from the government agencies, civil society organizations, the private sector, and international partners in a collaborative and inclusive environment for dialogue and decision-making on national progress.
Dr. Mensah-Abrampah also attributed the country’s slow growth in development to recent global developments such as the COVID-19 pandemic and the Russia-Ukraine war which have had profound effects on the nation’s economy, trade, and financial stability.
“The Government of Ghana, therefore, had to approach and agree to a US$3 billion 36-month Extended Credit Facility Arrangement with the International Monetary Fund (IMF). This deal builds on the government’s Post-COVID-19 Program for Economic Growth (PC-PEG) which aims to restore macroeconomic stability and debt sustainability and includes wide-ranging reforms to build resilience and lay the foundation for stronger and more inclusive growth”.
” By implementing effective policies and reforms, Ghana aims to overcome current obstacles and achieve its long-term vision of socio-economic development, ” he stated.
Dr. Mensah-Abrampah added that the National Development Summit is a critical platform for Ghana to address the challenges and shortcomings in its development agenda.
He was hopeful of launching the Long-Term National Development Perspective Framework on the March 7, 2024.
BY Prince Fiifi Yorke