THE Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr Audrey Smock Amoah, has urged local authorities to prioritise the completion of ongoing and near-completion projects before starting new ones.

He said uncompleted projects become an additional financial burden on the state.

She stated that delays at any stage of the planning process impact national progress, emphasising that projects were not awarded solely for record-keeping but to address problems and meet the needs of the people.

Speaking at a strategic regional consultative engagement held at the Bono East Regional Coordinating Council in Techiman on Tuesday with Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and key stakeholders on preparing the Consolidated National Development Plan, Dr Amoah urged local authorities to remain focused on the national agenda.

She highlighted that effective planning remains the foundation for sustainable growth, equitable development, and shared prosperity across Ghana, outlining the Commission’s constitutional and legislative mandate in guiding the country’s development planning system.

She clarified that the Commission primarily operates under Acts 479 and 480, which establish the NDPC and regulate the decentralised planning system, to ensure that planning activities are coordinated from the national to the district level.

“Wherever one lives in Ghana, development should not be a disadvantage. Ensuring even development is central to our mandate. That is why the Commission prioritises alignment, accountability, and disciplined implementation at all levels of governance,” she said.

With a consolidated plan, development becomes continuous, projects are maintained, and institutional memory is preserved.

Dr Amoah further outlined the five key dimensions of the Medium-Term National Development Policy Framework (2026–2029), which focus on economic development; social development; environment, infrastructure and spatial development; governance and institutional development; and international relations.

She observed that these pillars offer a coherent structure for translating national priorities into regional and district plans, noting that delays anywhere in the planning chain hinder national progress.

She also stressed the importance of quarterly monitoring and annual progress reports, explaining that district outputs feed into regional and national assessments, highlighting the interconnectedness of Ghana’s planning system.

On the broader national vision, Dr Amoah discussed the development of a Consolidated National Development Plan aimed at harmonising previous frameworks into a single, coherent national strategy.

She pointed out that the consolidated plan would align district and regional priorities with national objectives to sustain policy continuity beyond electoral cycles.

“Without a long-term plan, projects may veer off course with political changes, and resources could be wasted,” she stated.

She further underscored the Ghana Infrastructure Plan as a key component of the consolidated framework, integrating long-term investments in energy, water, roads, housing, ICT, and social infrastructure.

“We are not developing one sector in isolation. We are advancing all sectors along the same national path. And at the centre of this infrastructure plan is one word: prosperity,” she said.

The Bono East Regional Minister, Mr Francis Owusu Antwi, in his welcome address, praised the NDPC for its inclusive and consultative approach in engaging stakeholders across all 16 regions.

“Inclusive consultation ensures that development planning responds to the real needs of our people and ultimately leads to more sustainable and impactful outcomes,” he stated.

He stressed that broad participation would strengthen national consensus and ensure development priorities reflect both regional diversity and the aspirations of citizens.