The Ambassador of the Royal Norwegian Embassy to Ghana, Dr. John Mikal Kvistad, on Monday, 1 June 2026, paid a courtesy call on the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) and engaged with the Commission’s Management, led by the Director-General, Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah. The meeting focused on Ghana’s development planning priorities, the implementation of key development initiatives, and opportunities for strengthened collaboration to advance sustainable and inclusive development.

Welcoming the delegation, Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah provided an overview of the mandate and functions of the NDPC, describing the Commission as the Government’s principal advisory body on national development planning and policy coordination. She explained that the Commission is responsible for coordinating planning activities across Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), while also advising the President on matters relating to national development planning and policy.

“The NDPC plays a central role in ensuring that development efforts across Government are coordinated, aligned and responsive to national priorities,” Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah stated. “Our work is guided by the need to promote policy coherence, strengthen planning systems and support the effective implementation of Ghana’s development agenda.”

The Director-General further highlighted the Commission’s role in preparing the Medium-Term National Development Policy Framework, coordinating development planning at the national and sub-national levels, and monitoring progress through annual assessments of development performance. She noted that the Commission continues to work closely with Regional Coordinating Councils and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to strengthen planning, monitoring and evaluation systems across the country.

“Effective development planning requires strong institutions, reliable data and meaningful collaboration among stakeholders. These are essential for delivering sustainable outcomes that improve the lives of citizens,” she added.

Providing updates on key development initiatives, Mr. Philip Acheampong, a Principal Planning Analyst at the Commission, briefed the delegation on the implementation of the Smart Cities Programme and the Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs). He explained that the Smart Cities Programme seeks to support participating cities in identifying and developing strategic investments that can drive urban transformation and facilitate the transition towards smart, resilient and sustainable cities. He noted that the NDPC plays a key coordinating role in the programme and chairs the Technical Committee responsible for providing technical guidance and oversight throughout its implementation.

He also outlined the Commission’s efforts to support the localisation of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) through Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs). He explained that the NDPC has been building the capacity of Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies to assess progress on SDG implementation, strengthen reporting systems and identify priority interventions for improving development outcomes.

Mr. Philip Acheampong also highlighted the importance of programme sustainability, emphasising institutional ownership, continuous capacity development and stronger partnerships to ensure that the systems, tools and gains achieved under the programme are sustained and expanded to benefit more districts across the country.

For his part, the Norwegian Ambassador, Dr. John Mikal Kvistad, welcomed the progress made under the Smart Cities Programme and the Voluntary Local Review initiative and commended the Commission’s efforts to strengthen development planning and reporting systems at the local level. He emphasised the importance of sustainable, locally owned development interventions and expressed appreciation for the insights shared during the engagement.

The Ambassador reaffirmed the Royal Norwegian Embassy’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote sustainable urban development, evidence-based planning and effective collaboration among stakeholders, noting that such partnerships remain critical to achieving long-term development outcomes.

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