The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) on Thursday, July 16, officially launched the 2025 National Annual Progress Report (APR), describing it as a key accountability document that provides an objective assessment of Ghana’s development performance under the Agenda for Jobs II: Creating Prosperity and Equal Opportunity for All policy framework (2022–2025).

Speaking at the launch, the Chairman of the Commission, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, said the report is the fourth and final Annual Progress Report under the policy framework, marking the end of its implementation and reporting cycle.

He noted that the report presents credible evidence of Ghana’s development performance over the past year while serving as an important tool for promoting accountability, transparency and evidence-based national development.

Dr Thompson explained that the Annual Progress Report is one of the Commission’s principal accountability instruments, prepared in fulfilment of its constitutional mandate to monitor, evaluate and report on the implementation of national development policies, programmes and projects.

According to him, the report presents a balanced assessment of Ghana’s development performance. While it records improvements in key macroeconomic indicators, including stronger economic growth, declining inflation, improved fiscal performance and a lower public debt-to-GDP ratio, it also highlights persistent challenges such as youth unemployment, poor maternal health outcomes, implementation capacity and public service delivery.

The Director-General of the NDPC, Dr Audrey Smock Amoah, said the media engagement was organised to give journalists and other stakeholders a clear understanding of the report ahead of its public release, with the aim of promoting accurate, balanced and evidence-based reporting.

She said the report was produced through nationwide monitoring and evaluation exercises coordinated by the Commission. It draws on Annual Progress Reports submitted by Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs), and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), supplemented by official national data.

Dr Amoah added that the findings underwent rigorous verification, validation, technical review and Commission approval before the report was finalised.

Presenting an overview of the report, the Commission’s Chief Analyst, Mr Isaac Eweh, said the 2025 Annual Progress Report assesses the implementation of the national medium-term development policy framework across all levels of government.

He explained that the assessment measures progress towards achieving the framework’s overarching goal of creating “an optimistic, self-confident and prosperous nation through the creative exploitation of our human and natural resources, operating within a democratic, open and fair society in which mutual trust and equal economic opportunities exist for all.”

Mr Eweh said the report goes beyond measuring progress by identifying implementation gaps, emerging challenges and priority areas requiring policy attention.

He noted that its findings are intended to inform decision-making, strengthen accountability and guide future development planning while providing government, development partners, civil society organisations, the private sector and citizens with credible evidence on Ghana’s development performance in 2025.

The 2025 National Annual Progress Report concludes reporting under the Agenda for Jobs II policy framework and provides an important evidence base to inform future development planning, policy implementation and national accountability.