"Strict adherence to approved development plans is essential" - NDPC

The Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah, has underscored the importance of strictly adhering to approved development plans, describing it as fundamental to accountability and sound public financial management.

Speaking at a strategic regional consultative engagement at the Greater Accra Regional Coordinating Council, Dr. Smock stressed that development plans serve as binding frameworks guiding government spending and policy implementation across Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs).

“Strict adherence to approved development plans is essential,” she stated, explaining that both internal and external auditors assess public expenditure against these frameworks, making compliance critical to transparency and efficiency.

She urged assemblies across the country to prioritise alignment with certified plans, warning that deviations could undermine development outcomes and fiscal discipline.

Adding his voice, the Chairman of the NDPC, Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, commended the Greater Accra Region for becoming the first to achieve full certification of Medium-Term Development Plans for all its MMDAs for the 2026–2029 period.

However, he cautioned that certification alone is not enough.

“Certification is not the end of the process; it is the beginning of disciplined implementation,” Dr. Nii Moi Thompson stated.

“The real measure of success is whether these plans improve service delivery, strengthen local economies, and enhance the living standards of our people.”

He further called on assemblies to move beyond compliance and focus on measurable impact, institutional efficiency, and accountability in execution, while addressing persistent challenges such as weak institutional capacity, budget fragmentation, revenue mobilisation constraints, and poor spatial planning.

The engagement highlighted Greater Accra’s milestone as a model for other regions, while reinforcing the need for disciplined implementation to translate plans into tangible development outcomes.

Story by: Joshua Kwabena Smith