Ghana reviews 22-year-old planning guidelines to strengthen regional and district development

The Ghana National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) has launched a comprehensive review process to strengthen the country's decentralised planning system and improve coordination, accountability and development planning at the regional and district levels. In this context, existing guidelines prepared for Regional Planning Coordinating Units (RPCUs) and District Planning Coordinating Units (DPCUs), which define operational principles, have been placed on the table for revision following a period of approximately 22 years since 2004. The study aims not only to update the documents but also to adapt the system to current realities in light of the expansion of local government services and new legal regulations.

The process was officially launched with an inception meeting held on Thursday, 2 July 2026, at the NDPC Conference Hall in Accra. This important meeting brought together senior representatives from Ministries, Departments and Agencies (MDAs), Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs), Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), development partners and planning professionals to discuss the scope of the review, the methodology to be applied and implementation arrangements. Participants began intensive consultations to assess the strengths and weaknesses of the current system and determine the roadmap for establishing a planning structure capable of responding faster and more effectively to Ghana's future development priorities.

In her opening address at the meeting, NDPC Director General Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah stated that the current guidelines, developed jointly by the NDPC and the then Ministry of Local Government, have served the country's planning system for over twenty years, but now need change. Amoah emphasised that the planning and governance landscape has changed significantly over the years and that an updated document reflecting current realities is essential. "With a document that has been in use for more than twenty years, you will agree with me that we need to work on it," said Dr. Amoah, expressing that a static document cannot keep up with dynamic developments.

Explaining the necessity of the revision in more detail, Dr. Amoah stated that legal reforms, institutional restructuring and the expansion of Local Government Services necessitated the updating of the current guidelines. She further noted that the new legal framework, resulting from the implementation of regulations such as the Local Governance Act and Legal Instrument (L.I.) 2232, requires planning documents to be aligned accordingly. Therefore, she announced that they have initiated an urgent review process to ensure the guidelines are fully compliant with laws, responsive to evolving national development priorities, and applicable on the ground.

In conclusion, this review and revision exercise aims to increase Ghana's local and regional governance capacity, ensure more effective use of resources, and strengthen coordination between the central government and local authorities. Thanks to the adaptation of current guidelines to changing conditions and new legal requirements, future development projects are planned to be carried out with a management approach that is more transparent, accountable and target-oriented. This process will serve as an opportunity to create an infrastructure that will play a critical role in the country achieving its sustainable development goals, through the joint efforts of all stakeholders in the public sector.