[ 2015-01-29 ]

Efforts to develop meaningless without institutional reforms - Nii Moi Thompson
Director General of the National Development
Planning Commission (NDPC) says Ghana's
development efforts would be futile without
"extensive institutional reforms".

Dr Nii Moi Thompson says it is the reason the NDPC
has incorporated work attitudes and core national
values into its activities.

Dr Thompson was addressing heads of development
cooperation agencies in country on Tuesday.

The heads of development cooperation agencies had
paid a working visit to the NDPC Director to
familiarise themselves with the work of the
Commission.

The visit, which lasted for over two hours, was
organised at the request of the agency heads. It
gave the director general the opportunity to
explain the President’s Transformation Agenda,
the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda
(GSGDA II), as well as other development
frameworks of interest to the international
development community in Ghana.

The delegation was led by Mr. Jim Bever, country
director of the USAID.

It also included representatives from the United
Nations System, the African Development Bank, the
European Union, Germany, Denmark, France, and the
United Kingdom, among others.

Dr. Thompson fielded a number of questions from
the delegation, including the relationship between
the Ministry of Finance and the Planning
Commission; the implications of a possible IMF
programme for Ghana’s growth and development
prospects; the role of the private sector in
national development; and efforts by government to
address weaknesses in development management.

He explained that based on directives from
President John Mahama, the Commission was in the
process of taking over the planning functions of
the Ministry of Finance (previously known as the
Ministry of Finance and Economic Planning) and
that the two sides have met several times to
determine the scope and nature of the transfer.

The transfer of functions, he said, “is meant to
strengthen development management by more closely
linking plans with budgets”, adding that
ultimately all ministries, departments and
agencies (MDAs) as well as Municipal,
Metropolitan, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) will
work with the Commission to align their plans with
national development priorities before they are
funded by the Ministry of Finance.

The director general disclosed that a legislative
instrument that gives the Commission the power to
sanction MDAs and MMDAs that do not comply with
national planning and budget guidelines has been
endorsed by the Attorney General’s Department
and is ready for Cabinet.

With respect to a possible IMF programme for
Ghana, Dr. Thompson assured the delegation that
such a programme would focus mostly on short-term
macroeconomic stabilisation, while the Commission
would focus on medium-to-long-term economic growth
to complement the programme. “In this
regard”, he added, “the Commission is working
closely with the Ministry of Finance and the Bank
of Ghana to ensure a successful programme”.

The leader of the delegation, Mr. Bever, expressed
appreciation to Dr. Thompson and NDPC for granting
them audience and hoped that the two sides would
meet more frequently to share ideas.

Source - Joy News

... go Back