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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.
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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.).
From 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 Govern-mental 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.
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Act of Parliament
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 coordinating
body of the newly-established Decentralised Development
Planning System in Ghana.
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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:
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study and make strategic analysis of macro-economic and
structural reform options;
-
make proposals for the development of multi-year rolling
plans taking into consideration the resources potential and
comparative advantage of the different districts of Ghana;
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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;
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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 develop-ment 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
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perform such other functions relating to development planning
as the President may direct.
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Organisational Structure
The Organisational
Structure of NDPC Secretariat was determined under;
- statutory
role of the Commission
- decentralized
and integrated nature of the new planning process (as
determined by law)
- structure of
the machinery of Government business
- working
relationship of the Commission with statutory Planning
Authorities and other developmental agencies
- cost effectiveness
of operations
The Organisational
Structure of the Secretariat was prescribed by the PNDC in
accordance with a proposed National Development Planning Law
of 1989. Although this "Law" was formally approved by the
PNDC it was never promulgated. (see 2).
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However, in accordance
with this "Law" the NDPC was established in April 1990 and
structured strictly along sectoral lines as postulated in the
proposed Law. Section 9 of the "Law" provided that NDPC is to
be organised into (a) Office of the Chairman, from where the
Integrated Development Planning Group (IDPG) would operate,
and (b) five Divisions namely:
(1) Economic Policy
Division
(2) Production and Technology Policy Division
(3) Social Policy Division
(4) Spatial Policy Division
(5) General Services Division
The IDPG, which
consisted of the Chairman, the Secretary of the Commission and
the full time Commissioners appointed as heads of the Policy
Planning Divisions, was to be chaired by the Chairman of the
Commission. The function of the group was to integrate and
co-ordinate the activities of the Divisions.
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Furthermore, the
unpromulgated "Law" stipulates that The Commission shall have
a Secretary who shall be responsible to the Chairman, for the
efficient administration of the Commission.
In the course of
operationalising the Organisational Structure, it became
necessary to set up a sixth Division:- Environmental Policy
Division. The IDPG was moved from the Office of the Chairman
to a newly created office of the Secretary to the Commission.
After the completion
of work on the Long-Term Development Policy Framework (now
called GHANA-VISION 2020), the Environmental Policy and the
Spatial Policy Divisions were merged into a new ENVIRONMENTAL
POLICY DIVISION, whilst the IDPG was wound up since its
principal function had been taken over by the Director's
Meeting.
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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.
At the end of 1996, a
new Organisational Structure was in place in the light of the
totality of responsibilities envisaged under the NDPC Act 479
and National Development Planning (System) Act, 1994, (Act
480).
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