The Commission

NDPC has been established to advise the President of the Republic of Ghana (and Parliament upon request) on development policy and strategy, to prepare and ensure the effective implementation of approved national development plans and strategies and coordinate economic and social activities country wide in a manner that will ensure accelerated and sustainable development of the country and improvement in the standard of living for all Ghanaians.

History

Proposals for the establishment of an effective system of development planning within the framework of the policy of decentralisation were initially prepared by a team of Hungarian Consultants (TESCO) under the auspices of the UNDP. 

TESCO's proposals were considered at a high-level Workshop in March 1987, and the recommendations of the Workshop endorsed the TESCO proposal for establishing a public sector-planning agency, autonomous of the then Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning (MFEP).  The decision to establish the National Development Planning Commission was formally announced by the PNDC in September 1987. 

A Preparatory Committee, the Transitional Implementation Team (TIT), was accordingly set up to undertake the preparations necessary for the establishment of the NDPC.  The TIT (or Team) drew up detailed proposals for the Organisation and Structure of the NDPC and an Interim Operational Manual.  The Team also prepared the first draft of the "National Development Planning Law" as the legal basis for the Commission. 

The draft law underwent a number of revisions and was accepted by Government in 1989, but was never promulgated.  However, in early 1990, Government decided to proceed, administratively with the implementation of the TIT's recommendation.

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A Preparatory Committee (PREPCOM) for the Establishment of the NDPC was set up under the Chairmanship of Lt. General Arnold Quainoo and the Commission moved into Flagstaff House on 2nd April 1990. 

Later, Lt. Colonel Mensah K. Gbedemah who was the Secretary to the PREPCOM from February 1991 to June 1994 was appointed as the Technical Head of NDPC.).

rom June 1994 to February 1995, Dr. Kobena G. Erbynn, replaced Lt. Colonel Mensah Gbedemah in the same position. The PREPCOM served as the Management and the Interim Board of NDPC until 15th February 1995 when the Government announced a Governing Board of the Commission. This was in accordance with the new National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) Act, 1994 (Act 479) which had previously been enacted by Parliament in September 1994. 

Even though Act 479 of September 1994 did officially establish NDPC, it was not until 15th June 1995 that the Commission was formally inaugurated by H.E. The President  Flt. Lt. J.J. Rawlings at a swearing-in ceremony at the Castle, Osu, Accra. 

The first Officers of NDPC (under Act 479) were Mr. Paul Victor Obeng (Presidential Advisor on Governmental Affairs) as Chairman; Prof. E.A. Boateng (former Head of Environmental Protection Council and former Vice Chancellor of the University of Cape Coast) as Vice Chairman and Dr. Kobena G. Erbynn as Acting Director-General of NDPC.  Lt. General Arnold Quainoo stayed on as a Member of the 35-member Commission.

NDPC is provided for in the Fourth Republic (1992) Constitution of the Republic of Ghana as part of the Executive.  Article 86 of the Constitution prescribes the composition of the Commission whilst Article 87 delineates the Commission's functions.  The principal function of NDPC is to "advise the President on development planning policy and strategy".

The Legal framework relating to NDPC are further elaborated in the

(i) the National Development Planning Commission Act, 1994 (Act 479), which formally establishes the NDPC under the Office of the President, and

(ii) the National Development Planning (Systems) Act, 1994 (Act 480), which makes the NDPC, the national co-ordinating body of the newly-established Decentralised Development Planning System in Ghana.

Functions of the NDPC

The National Development Planning Commission is a body created by articles 86 and 87 of the 1992 Constitution of the Republic of Ghana and established by Acts 479 and 480 (1994) of Parliament with the mandate to advise the President on development planning policy and strategy.

The Commission at the request of the President, Parliament, or on its own initiative, is expected to:

• study and make strategic analysis of macro-economic and structural reform options;

• make proposals for the development of multiyear rolling plans taking into consideration the resources potential and comparative advantage of the different districts of Ghana;

• make proposals for the protection of the natural and physical environment with a view to ensuring that development strategies and programmes are in conformity with sound environmental principles;

• make proposals for ensuring the even development of the districts of Ghana by the effective utilisation of available resources;

• monitor, evaluate and co-ordinate development policies, programmes and projects;

• undertake studies and make recommendations on development and socio-economic issues;

• formulate comprehensive national development planning strategies and ensure that the strategies including consequential policies and programmes are effectively carried out;

• prepare broad national development plans;

• keep under constant review national development plans in the light of prevailing domestic and international economic, social and political conditions and make recommendations for the revision of existing policies and programmes where necessary; and

• perform such other functions relating to development planning as the President may direct.

A new Division, PUBLIC SECTOR MANAGEMENT DIVISION was set up to liaise with the Sector Ministries/Departments/Agencies (MDAs) and the District Assemblies in the administration of development including plan preparation.