NDPC Says Coordinated Action And Accountability Key To Success Of Revised National Urban Policy
The National Development Planning Commission has said the successful implementation of Ghana’s Revised National Urban Policy for 2026 to 2035 will depend on coordinated action across national, sectoral, regional and district institutions, backed by effective monitoring and strong accountability mechanisms.
Director-General of NDPC, Dr Audrey Smock Amoah, made the remarks during a live studio discussion on GTV’s Public Concern – The Urban Agenda programme on Tuesday, July 28, 2026.
The discussion was held under the theme “Ghana’s Revised National Urban Policy: Can It Transform the Country’s Cities and Communities?” and followed the recent launch of the Revised National Urban Policy and the National Slum Upgrading Strategy.
Dr Amoah said the revised policy seeks to make Ghana’s cities and towns more liveable, resilient and productive over the next decade by promoting sustainable urban development and improving the quality of life of citizens.
She noted that lessons from the implementation of the 2012 National Urban Policy, which achieved about 50 per cent of its targets, informed the review process.
According to her, the new policy addresses gaps identified under the previous policy, particularly in institutional coordination, dissemination, implementation and follow-up monitoring.
She explained that the policy clearly defines the roles of national and sub-national institutions within Ghana’s decentralised planning system. Ministries, Departments and Agencies, Regional Coordinating Councils and Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies are required to work collaboratively to deliver its objectives.
The revised policy also provides clearer implementation arrangements by outlining specific activities and identifying the institutions responsible for their delivery, which she said will make it easier to monitor progress and strengthen accountability.
Highlighting the country’s preparedness, Dr Amoah said almost all public sector institutions had completed their Medium-Term Development Plans for the 2026–2029 planning period.
The plans, she explained, were certified by NDPC after being assessed for consistency with national development planning guidelines, the Medium-Term National Development Policy Framework, relevant sector legislation and other applicable national policies.
On monitoring and accountability, the NDPC Director-General reaffirmed the Commission’s statutory responsibility for coordinating the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of national development policies and programmes.
She said public institutions are required by law to submit quarterly and annual progress reports to the Commission, which are consolidated into the National Annual Progress Report for submission to Parliament and the President.
She added that Parliament’s increasing scrutiny of sector performance, including engagements with ministries on their contributions to the National Annual Progress Report, would strengthen institutional accountability and improve policy implementation across government.
Beyond implementation arrangements, Dr Amoah identified weak enforcement of planning regulations as one of the greatest obstacles to sustainable urban development in Ghana.
She noted that while MMDAs serve as designated planning authorities with legally enforceable by-laws, enforcement is often weakened by personal interventions on behalf of offenders.
This, she said, undermines deterrence, encourages repeated violations and compromises orderly urban development.
She therefore called for consistent enforcement of planning laws to protect public spaces, promote orderly physical development and improve the liveability of Ghana’s cities and towns.
Click to read more: https://opemsuo.com/author/hajara-fuseini/
