The Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr Nii Moi Thompson, has reiterated the need for a consolidated long term national development plan to replace Ghana’s fragmented and largely unimplemented past frameworks.
During the ongoing regional consultative engagement with key stakeholders in the Eastern Region on Thursday, 19 February 2026, Dr Thompson delivered a presentation on the proposed long term national development plan, emphasising the importance of a clear national vision and noting that policy discontinuity has undermined national progress. He referenced previous initiatives such as Ghana Beyond Aid and Vision 2057, stressing that long term planning is not about predicting the future, but about defining goals and working systematically to achieve them. “We cannot proceed with an incrementalist approach to development,” he noted, warning that without deliberate and sustained planning, Ghana risks stagnation.
He identified informality as “the weakest link” in the country’s development, observing that while 92 per cent of businesses operate in the informal sector and employ nearly 90 per cent of the workforce, they contribute only about 20 per cent to GDP due to low value addition. Dr Thompson therefore urged district assemblies to prioritise economic formalisation, business development, and models such as the Start and Improve Your Business initiative to enhance productivity and competitiveness.
Dr Thompson also called for greater adoption of technology, particularly Artificial Intelligence, to modernise planning processes and improve efficiency. He disclosed that the Commission has already begun exploring AI tools following a recent introductory session. “It will help to minimise the workload and expedite certain processes for us,” he noted, adding that he has personally used AI to summarise district development plans effectively. He expressed optimism that once fully institutionalised at the Commission level, the innovation would be extended to the regions and district assemblies.
Turning to governance and maintenance culture, he emphasised that development is not only about constructing new infrastructure but also about preserving existing assets. Drawing on the broken window theory, he cautioned that neglecting minor defects inevitably leads to systemic deterioration. “The second you see this, you are supposed to prevent it,” he remarked, citing road encroachment, school erosion, and the destruction of pavements as examples of avoidable decline that ultimately place additional burdens on government resources.
