National Development Planning Commission certifies Ministries, Regions’ plans
The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) has formally presented certificates of approval to selected Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs) and Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) whose Medium-Term Development Plans (MTDPs) for the 2026 to 2029 cycle successfully passed its review process.
The presentation ceremony, held in Accra, forms part of NDPC’s statutory mandate under the National Development Planning (System) Act, 1994 (Act 480) and the National Development Planning (System) Regulations, 2016 (L.I. 2232).
Certified MDAs and RCCs
Institutions receiving certification included the Ministry of Finance, Ministry of Lands and Natural Resources, Office of the Attorney-General and Ministry of Justice, Ministry of Works, Housing and Water Resources, Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry, Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, the Greater Accra RCC, the Eastern RCC, and the NDPC itself.
Resetting-Ghana Agenda as the guiding framework
In her welcome remarks, NDPC Director-General Dr Audrey Smock Amoah said the certification exercise marks a milestone in advancing the Resetting-Ghana Agenda, which is anchored on job creation, accountability and shared prosperity.
She explained that the MTDPs were designed around five critical dimensions: economic development; social development; environment, infrastructure and spatial development; governance and institutional development; and international relations.
Dr Amoah revealed that eight MDAs and two RCCs have fully met the certification criteria so far, while others remain under review.
She emphasised that approval should not be seen as an end in itself but as the beginning of implementation, urging institutions to ensure their programmes translate into measurable improvements in citizens’ lives.
Certification tied to funding
NDPC Chairman and Senior Advisor to the President on the SDGs, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, stressed that certification is not a mere bureaucratic formality but a prerequisite for budgetary allocation.
“No certificate, no cash,” he cautioned, explaining that without NDPC approval, no institution will receive funding under the national budget.
Dr Thompson noted that this approach ensures scarce public resources are channelled into high-impact projects rather than spread thinly across numerous small interventions.
He added that the success of the plans will be judged not by paperwork but by tangible outcomes such as resilient infrastructure, decent jobs, better services and improved quality of life.
Finance Ministry reinforces link between plans and budget
Speaking on behalf of the Ministry of Finance, Mr Augustus Kwesi Adu, Director for Policy Coordination, Monitoring and Evaluation, reiterated that budgetary allocations will only be made to certified MTDPs.
He reminded MDAs and RCCs that strict adherence to approved programmes is required during implementation.
Call for timely funding and accountability
Certified institutions expressed appreciation for the technical support provided by NDPC but appealed for the timely release of funds to ensure smooth execution of their strategies.
They stressed that financial backing is critical to turning plans into results, especially in delivering jobs, infrastructure and social interventions.
