The Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr Audrey Smock Amoah, has stressed the need for strong institutional coordination, monitoring and accountability to ensure the successful implementation of Ghana’s Revised National Urban Policy (2026–2035).
Speaking during a live discussion on GTV’s Public Concern – The Urban Agenda programme on Tuesday, July 28, Dr Amoah said the revised policy is aimed at making Ghana’s cities and towns more liveable, resilient and productive through sustainable urban development over the next decade.
She explained that the review of the policy was informed by lessons from the 2012 National Urban Policy, which achieved about 50 per cent of its targets.
According to her, the new framework addresses key gaps identified in the previous policy, particularly in coordination, implementation, dissemination and monitoring.
Dr Amoah said the revised policy clearly outlines the roles of ministries, departments and agencies, regional coordinating councils, as well as metropolitan, municipal and district assemblies within Ghana’s decentralised planning system.
She noted that almost all public sector institutions have completed their Medium-Term Development Plans for the 2026–2029 period, which have been certified by the NDPC after assessment against national planning guidelines and development policies.
The NDPC Director-General said the Commission will continue to oversee the implementation, monitoring and evaluation of national development policies through quarterly and annual progress reports from public institutions.
She added that these reports will be consolidated into the National Annual Progress Report, which will be submitted to Parliament and the President.
Dr Amoah also called for stricter enforcement of planning regulations, warning that weak enforcement remains a major challenge to sustainable urban development.
She said the success of the Revised National Urban Policy will depend on sustained collaboration among implementing agencies, effective research and monitoring, stronger accountability and consistent enforcement of planning laws.
