The Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr Nii Moi Thompson, has emphasised that sustainable national transformation must begin at the local level. Without thriving local economies, he argued, there is little meaningful progress to combine at the national scale.

Addressing stakeholders at a regional consultative meeting in Ho on Wednesday, as part of the commission’s nationwide drive to build a united long-term development plan, Dr Thompson stressed that national growth is simply the sum of progress across districts and regions.

“When we talk about the national economy, we are referring to the sum of all our 261 local economies. If local economies are not thriving, there is nothing meaningful to combine at the national level,” he stated.

Dr Thompson cautioned against relying solely on broad national indicators without examining their geographic distribution. He noted that growth in sectors such as construction may appear strong in national statistics but often remains unevenly spread across communities.

To address this, the NDPC, he indicated, is adopting innovative planning methods that go beyond traditional aggregate metrics, with a deliberate focus on spatial equity and inclusive growth. Development, he emphasised, should be measured not only by national averages but by tangible improvements within local communities.

He called for modernising monitoring and evaluation systems, arguing that technological advances now make near real-time tracking feasible and essential. “We should not have to wait an entire year to assess progress when digital tools offer near real-time monitoring. Accountability must be timely, measurable, and responsive,” Dr Thompson added.

The Volta Regional Minister, Mr James Gunu, recalled that during the inauguration of the 8th NDPC Commission, President John Dramani Mahama highlighted the challenge posed by multiple long-term frameworks, including the 40-Year Development Plan, Ghana Beyond Aid Charter, Ghana at 100, and Vision 2057.

“Each of these frameworks reflects deep patriotic thought and a shared aspiration for Ghana’s prosperity,” Mr Gunu said. “For development to be truly sustainable and transformative, it must be guided by one clear and coherent national vision,” he mentioned.

He added that the current engagement is part of a broader nationwide consultative process aimed at building consensus and ensuring that citizens at all levels have a voice in defining Ghana’s long-term vision.