The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) has embarked on a process to review Ghana's 40-year Development Plan, Agenda 2057, aiming to establish clearer and more measurable targets for effective assessment by citizens.
Dr. Kodjo Esseim Mensah-Abrampa, Director-General of NDPC, announced the initiative during a press briefing in Accra, emphasizing the need to simplify and set specific targets for various sectors of national development.
To facilitate the review, the NDPC will convene a two-day National Development Summit from December 20 to December 21, 2023.
The summit aims to bring together stakeholders, experts, civil society organizations, traditional rulers, media professionals, and the public to provide input into specific development targets for all sectors.
In 2018, Ghana adopted a 40-year development plan (2018-2057) with the vision of achieving “a just, free, and prosperous society” by 2057. The plan serves as a framework for national development, aligning with NDPC's constitutional mandate.
Dr. Mensah-Abrampa highlighted the necessity of reviewing Agenda 2057 due to changes in assumptions and projections made in the original document.
The goal is to set fresh targets and develop plans that are owned by the people, allowing them to demand accountability alongside the national development agenda.
He acknowledged that the current plan appeared technical to the public and emphasized the importance of breaking it down into specific, easily identifiable, and measurable plans.
The NDPC aims to establish a clear vision for the country through open and frank discussions during the Summit.
Dr. Mensah-Abrampa clarified that while development plans developed by the NDPC are not binding on governments, once approved by Parliament, they become statutory documents for the country, influencing various facets of development planning.
He stressed the importance of citizens knowing the targets and vision for the country to measure and demand accountability from the government.
“We want to tie governments to the vision and targets. The means of implementation of the plan belongs to the government, which has been given the mandate to execute the people's vision and the people's targets,” Dr. Mensah-Abrampa affirmed.