The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) and the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE) have reaffirmed their commitment to working together to advance Ghana’s long-term development agenda, with a strong focus on civic education, behavioural change and national values transformation.

The renewed commitment emerged during a stakeholder engagement on the Consolidated National Development Plan, where the Director-General of the NDPC, Dr Audrey Smock Amoah, described both institutions as critical partners in the country’s development efforts.

She noted that discussions between the two organisations underscored the close alignment of their mandates and their shared responsibility in promoting national transformation.

“The strong relationship between the mandates of both institutions is essential for national transformation,” Dr Amoah stated.

Presenting the Commission’s vision for the Consolidated National Development Plan, she explained that sustainable development requires the active participation of citizens, government institutions and stakeholders at every level.

According to her, the NDPC operates under Article 86 of the 1992 Constitution and other legislative frameworks to guide national development planning and policy coordination.

Dr Amoah disclosed that the Commission is currently consolidating various long-term development frameworks into a single national plan aimed at ensuring coherence in policy implementation and national development efforts.

“The President had tasked the Commission to consolidate the various long-term development initiatives into one unified national plan,” she said, adding that the framework would focus on economic transformation, job creation, governance reforms and social development.

She emphasised that all development interventions must remain grounded in the Directive Principles of State Policy contained in the Constitution, which provide the foundation for national planning and governance.

The Director-General also highlighted the importance of inclusive stakeholder engagement, noting that the Commission had undertaken consultations across the country involving regional and district-level actors.

She stressed that effective planning must precede budgeting to ensure efficient use of public resources.

“Planning must precede budgeting,” she said, warning that inadequate planning often results in poor resource allocation, a situation she likened to “going to the market without a shopping list.”

Dr Amoah further called for enhanced collaboration between the NDPC and NCCE to strengthen civic education and promote a shared national value system.

She explained that the proposed partnership would involve the establishment of a Joint Technical Working Group and the implementation of nationwide sensitisation programmes under the “Good Society” agenda.

“The ultimate goal of civic education and national values campaigns is behavioural change,” she stated.

Responding to the presentation, the Chairperson of the NCCE, Madam Kathleen Addy, commended the Commission for its commitment to national development planning and welcomed the opportunity for deeper collaboration.

She observed that one of the major challenges confronting development initiatives is translating policy objectives into practical action and sustaining commitment over time.

“One of the key challenges in advancing national development initiatives is ensuring practical implementation and sustained commitment beyond policy discussions,” Madam Addy said.

She emphasised that meaningful behavioural change requires carefully designed and evidence-based interventions rather than simple awareness campaigns.

“Changing attitudes and behaviours requires deliberate, structured, and scientifically informed approaches rather than simple public messaging,” she noted.

Madam Addy reaffirmed the NCCE’s readiness to partner with the NDPC in advancing civic education, promoting national values and supporting initiatives aimed at building a more responsible and development-oriented citizenry.

The collaboration forms part of broader efforts by the NDPC to ensure that Ghana’s Consolidated National Development Plan is supported not only by economic and institutional reforms but also by the civic values and behavioural changes needed to drive sustainable national development.