Nationwide Consultation on Revised Guidelines for Regional, District Planning Coordinating Units Begins
The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), with support from GIZ’s PAIRed programme, has begun nationwide stakeholder consultations to review and update the guidelines for Regional Planning Coordinating Units (RPCUs) and District Planning Coordinating Units (DPCUs).
The consultations are intended to ensure that the revised guidelines reflect changes in Ghana’s decentralised development planning system and provide practical guidance for effective planning, coordination, monitoring and reporting at the regional and district levels.
The first consultation, held on 6 October 2026, brought together stakeholders to assess the existing guidelines, identify implementation challenges and propose improvements based on their practical experiences.
Welcoming participants, the Chief Director of the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council (GARCC), Rev. Harry Nii Kwatei Owoo, noted that the existing guidelines, developed in 2004, no longer adequately reflect the environment within which RPCUs and DPCUs operate.
He cited changes in the legal and institutional framework, planning and budgeting processes, monitoring and reporting requirements, as well as the growing use of digital systems in public administration.
He therefore encouraged participants to draw on their experiences to identify gaps and propose practical measures to make the revised guidelines more relevant and effective.
The Director-General of NDPCDrr. Audrey Smock Amoah, underscored the importance of grounding the review in the experiences of officials directly involved in development planning and coordination at the regional and district levels.
She said the review provides an opportunity to align the guidelines with current institutional arrangements, planning requirements and technological developments while addressing practical challenges encountered in their implementation.
Dr Amoah also highlighted the importance of the timely preparation and submission of development plans and annual progress reports, noting that delays at the regional and district levels have implications for national development planning, monitoring and reporting.
She expressed appreciation to GARCC, Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), GIZ and other stakeholders supporting the process, and encouraged participants to make practical recommendations that would strengthen the guidelines and improve coordination across the decentralised planning system.
The consultations will continue across the country, with feedback from stakeholders informing the finalisation of the revised RPCU and DPCU guidelines.
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