The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) is organising series of Regional consultations in pursuance of the development of the Medium-Term National Development Policy Framework (2022-2025).

The implementation of the current Medium-Term National Development Policy Famework (MTNDPF, 2018-2021), also known as "An Agenda for Jobs: Creating Prosperity and Equal Opportunity for All" ends in 2021.

The National Development Planning Commission has, therefore, set in motion the process of developing a successor policy framework in accordance with NDPC's mandate, which is to keep under constant review national development plans in the light of prevailing domestic and international economic, social and political conditions.

They will also make recommendations for the revision of existing policies and programmes where necessary; and formulate comprehensive national development planning strategies and ensure that the strategies which include consequential policies and programmes are effectively carried out.

Dr. Felix Addo-Yobo, the Director of Planning at the Commission, during the Western Regional Consultative Forun said the process of preparing the MTNDPF, 2022-2025, which started in September 2020, has involved the review of performance of the implementation of the MTNDPF, 2018-2021; identification of key development issues to be addressed over the period 2022-2025; and proposal of objectives and strategies to be implemented over the period.

The process engaged technical experts from government Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Civil Society Organisations (CSOs) and academia, who were organised into Cross-Sectoral Planning Groups (CSPGs).

He added that the output from the engagements have been the preparation of a zero draft MTNDPF, 2022-2025.

"I am sure we all agree that the COVID-19 pandemic has affected us in various ways and has alerted us to the urgent need for emergency preparedness. Hence, a whole dimension on emergency planning and preparedness, which details a COVID-19 recovery framework, has been introduced in the MTNDPF, 2022-2025."

The Director added that recommendations from series of National Development Forums organised by NDPC since 2018 to solicit public opinion on topical development issues, have also been incorporated in the process and aligned to the Sustainable Development Goals (SDG), AU Agenda and ECOWAS protocols that Ghana has signed unto.

"At this next stage in the process, NDPC seeks to further solicit the views and inputs of all relevant actors into the zero draft MTNDPF, 2020-2025".

He pointed out that the consultation, would create awareness on the development goals, objectives and priorities for the country over the next medium term (2022-2025), solicit ideas and inputs on development priorities for the next medium term.

Dr Addo-Yobo said participants would particularly be well informed about the policy direction of the country for the medium term 2022-2025 and ownership created for its implementation.

"It is my fervent hope that you will actively engage in this consultation to ensure a truly owned document, which we can all commit to and hold Government and duty-bearers accountable for its implementation," he added.

Mr. Kobena Okyere Darko Mensah, the Western Regional Minister, described the consultation as key for policies and strategies that would guide development for the next four years starting 2022.

He said the Region was still confronted with socio-economic challenges such as unemployment for the youth, limited access to social services, inadequate health infrastructure and services for children and women, ineffective social protections schemes for the aged and marginalized.

"This is why I entreat all technical officers present to brainstorm on the policy matrix developed by the NDPC to ensure that the strategies to be implemented from 2022 to 2025 will result in significantly addressing these issues in the Region," he stated.

Meanwhile, research conducted with assistance from UNCEF on various dimensions of poverty revealed that 73 percent of children are suffering from multi-dimensional poverty.

This meant these children did not either have the opportunity to have good nutrition, safe water to drink or go to school.

Mr. Emmanuel Nyarko-Tetteh, the Child Protection Specialist at UNICEF Ghana Country Office, said UNICEF was therefore supporting the NDPC to integrate into the national medium term development plan these inter sectorial social services initiative to help the Ghanaian Child.

"That is why UNICEF has taken the challenge to support NDPC to engage with all the 260 MMDA's to understand all these things and put priority on it," the Child Protection Specialist said.