Parliament on Thursday approved GH¢63.2 million for the implementation of programmes and activities of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) for the fiscal year ending 31st December 2024.

Dr John Ampontuah Kumah, a Deputy Minister of Finance, moved the Motion for the House to approve the sum.

Mr Kwaku Agyeman Kwarteng, the Chairman of the Finance Committee of Parliament said tracking the progress of development under the National Development Policy, Planning, Monitoring, and Evaluation Programme (NDPPM&EP), the Commission would, in 2024, track the implementation of policies, programmes, projects and activities in relation to national development policy framework and plans and provide feedback on attainment of targets to stakeholders.

He said in 2024, the Commission would strengthen its coordination, implementation, and monitoring and evaluation role to ensure that programmes and projects delivered positive development outcomes.

Mr Kwarteng, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) Member of Parliament (MP) for Obuasi West, in his report to the House, said in 2024, the Commission would continue to perform its constitutional mandate of advising the President on national development planning policy and strategy.

He said other specific operations to be undertaken would include building the capacity of Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs) and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in application of ICT in plan preparation, Annual Progress Report (APR) on the implementation of the National Medium-Term Development Policy Framework (NMTDP), preparing field monitoring reports, coordination of environmental policies and mainstreaming development communication.

Mr John Abu Jinapor, the National Democratic Congress (NDC) Member of Parliament (MP) for Yapei Kusawgu, noted that the NDPC remained a very pivotal structure when it came to the nation's development.

He said if the country wanted to develop, Ghanaians ought to pay particular attention to the NDPC.

"In most countries, where they have witnessed accelerated economic development, the equivalent of the National Development Planning Commission, which is nonpartisan, is at the centre of policymaking," he said.

"Indeed, what they do is that they formulate policies over a long period of time and irrespective of the government in power, your budget only aims to achieve what the National Development Planning Commission is set up for”.

He said there was the need for the nation to gravitate towards a system where irrespective of the political regime, the NDPC would continue its pivotal role in development.

Mr Jinapor urged the Commission to be innovative in raising internally generated funds to augment the Budgetary allocations from the state.

The Deputy Minority Leader and NDC MP for Ellembele, Emmanuel Armah-Kofi Buah, underscored the importance of the NDPC in helping the Government machinery to be more efficient.