NDPC moves to ensure a successful Long-term National Planning and Dev't Policy Agenda

The National Development Planning Commission in its quest to ensure a successful formulation of its long-term National Development Policy Framework is welcoming on board collective views of all political parties including the general public in the Country for an input into the formulation of a national policy framework.

This follows calls made by Former President Kufuor and other leaders in authority to the Commission to engage political parties and their flagbearers in the formulation of its long-term National Development Policy Framework towards socio-economic development, and the promotion of “an all-inclusive commitment by the parties”.

As a result, the commission has deployed an entourage to the headquarters of some political parties in Accra to brief them on steps the commission will be adopt towards a successful formulation a long-term National Planning Policy and to invite their leaders to the launch of the Commission’s forum on the new policy framework, on Tuesday, August 4, in Accra.

 The first point of call where the team visited was the office of the Convention Peoples Party (CPP) where they met the bigwigs of the party.

Dr Nii Moi Thompson, the Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) leader of the team, explained to the party leaders the nitty–gritties of  a long-term National Policy and why the need for involvement of all political parties in the planning of the country’s development.

The leaders were told the policy framework that would take effect from 2018 to 2057, was expected to bind governments, without necessarily tying their hands, but rather serve as a guide to successive governments.

It will also include the views of the general public, and the private sector, which is believed to be the engine of growth of the economy after the launching in what is called a ‘national consultative forums’ which will be held within the ten regions across the country, he stated.

The Chairperson and leader of the Convention People’s Party (CPP), Madam Samia Yaba Nkrumah, who chaired the meeting, express delight in the adoption of making use of the all-inclusive agenda approach towards the formulation exercise. She called for a legislative instrument to bind the implementation of the long-term policy when finally crafted.

For the part of Dr Adolf Lutterodt, CPP’s National Treasure, “So long as the policy framework will include the ideology of the Nkrumaist, CPP will embrace it to the fullest”.

The team later toured the People’s National Convention (PNC) party head office in Accra where they extended their invitation to them to be part of the long term policy launch and also briefed them on the need for the all-inclusive agenda approach towards a new national policy which is expected to run for the next 40 years starting from the year 2018 to 2057.

Present at the party head office in Accra were the National Chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan,Mr. Emmanuel Wilson, the National Organizer,  Bernard Monarh, the General Secretary and Hajia Ajara Aliu Musah, First Vice Chairperson of the party amongst other leaders.

Presenting the views of the Commission, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, noted the idea of a longterm national policy stems out from the constitution reviews findings after a national and International tour in the year 2010 and 2011 respectively.

He explained the mandate of the commission did not actually included development planning but to interact with Ghanaians over the potential changes to the constitution when they embarked on that tour. But before they were done with the exercise, there were substantial calls for long-term National Development Planning that constituted the chapter 3 of the report.

“It was this chapter that deals with the Long-term Development Planning that was informed largely by perception that we haven’t been served well by the medium term development plans so therefore NDPC being a state Organization charged with the National Development Planning began also doing the necessary groundwork to see how they can work with other constituents to bring this into fruition” he posited.  

He further explains: “We have done a fair amount of analysis and diagnostics to see what went right and what went wrong and what lessons can we draw to create a new plan. I have to emphasize that first of all there’s no  plan yet, It is not  going to be an NDPC plan; It is going to be a plan of  Ghanaians” he emphasized.

The PNC party leaders have welcomed the move, saying they happy that for the first time a huge opportunity of this sort is being handed over to the political parties which they are also proud to be beneficiaries. They thanked team members, pledging their support throughout the entire process of the formulation of the policy.

Hajia Ajara Aliu Musah, First Vice Chairperson of the party, suggested that the Commission should endeavor to come out with the legislative instrument to hold political parties who failed to comply with policies underlining the framework when completed accountable and be sanctioned accordingly.

Bernard Monarh in an interview with Ghanaweb.com noted his outfit is in favour with the idea of long-term plan which include the voice of Ghanaian but was quick to point out that so long as the ideology of  Dr Kwame Nkrumah and Dr Busia which the PNC believes in will be used, ‘there’s no way the PNC can reject it.

National Chairman, Alhaji Ahmed Ramadan, noted with concern how in the past various political parties who came into power one after the other aborted ongoing projects because of political reasons leaving the country in a deplorable state. He was however, elated that with the exigencies of a long-term plan, all these mishaps will surely be a thing of the past. He thanked the entire NDPC team for the gesture pledging the support of his outfit to a successful end.

“We think it’s a very good idea and we will participate fully to give our all to it to make sure that we derive much more benefit from it” he said.

Meanwhile The Great Consolidated People’s Party (GCPP) also expressed a relief  and happy, ensuring their readiness and support ahead towards a successful planning exercise when the team earlier on visited their head office.

Dr.  Henry Lartey, Leader and Chairman of the Party together with Mr. John Amekah, the 2012 Vice Presidential Candidate and Mr. Fleischer Lartey, the party treasure was amongst the others who received the team to their office.

In a related development, the former finance Minister of state under the NPP regime, Joseph Henry Mensah (aka JH Mensah) has also lauded the move by National Development Planning Commission to come out with the formulation of the 40 year long-term National Policy framework, calling for its sustainability.

“It is the sustainability is what has been lacking, we’ve had so many offs and ons; I think that is dangerous for any development country because things don’t happen if it takes a longtime to happen and if we’re into development planning, then things has to go on and be sustained that’s when you can expect something significant”, J H Mensah the venerable former Minister has said.

He said although he is not in a position to detect to the commission what to be done but gave his blessings.

He made the remark when the NDPC team paid him a courtesy call in his residence in Accra to brief him about the ongoing long-term national policy framework formulation agenda.

Dr. Thompson who led the team presented NDPC souvenirs and wish-well card to the former Veteran parliamentarian and the senior finance Minister to thank him for his support over the years for the nation and to wish him well.

 Among the NDPC entourage who toured the various party head offices includes; Dr. Samuel Nii-Noi Ashong, former Deputy Finance Minister in the Kufuor administration and current chairman of the Commission’s Economic Policy Committee,Mr. Kwame Boateng, Deputy Director of Spatial Planning, Isaac Asiamah, Special Assistant to the Director General, Dr Mensah Bonsu, Dir. Planning and Coordinator,Peter Owusu, Head of Finance amongst others led by the Director General, Dr Nii Moi Thompson.