The Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr Audrey Smock Amoah, has announced sweeping reforms to strengthen decentralised planning and make local governance more responsive to citizens' needs.

Delivering a keynote address on July 31 in Sunyani, she said Ghana’s development can only be sustained if communities are equipped with the tools, data, and autonomy to chart their own growth paths.

Outlining the NDPC’s recent initiatives, Dr Amoah revealed that the Commission has adopted a new Digital District Development Data Platform (DDDP) to improve coordination and transparency.

“This tool is already helping to reduce inconsistencies in reporting and allowing Assemblies to submit progress reports digitally,” she said, adding that such innovation is critical for real-time, evidence-based planning.

She also disclosed that the Medium-Term Development Planning Guidelines (2026–2029) have been revised to address emerging issues such as climate change, spatial equity, citizen engagement, and digital inclusion.

The Commission is further promoting Community Action Plans (CAPs), which are designed to increase community ownership and directly link planning with budget execution.

However, she cautioned that without sustained funding, reliable data, and continuous capacity-building for local planners, these efforts could falter.

“The three Fs – functionaries, functions and funds – must all be delivered fully,” Dr Amoah said.

She expressed support for the government’s pledge to transfer 80% of District Assemblies Common Fund (DACF) allocations directly to the districts, describing it as “welcome news.”

Dr Amoah called for deeper collaboration between the NDPC and NADEP, and encouraged Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) to prepare their own Voluntary Local Review reports aligned with the SDGs.

“When we emphasise local development, there will automatically be national development,” she concluded, “and issues of unemployment, inequalities and poverty will be addressed meaningfully.”