The Member of Parliament for Akyem Oda and Deputy Minister for Health, Alexander Akwasi Acquah, has called for legislative reforms to address policy discontinuity in Ghana’s governance system.
In a statement on ongoing reforms at the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), the lawmaker stressed the need to institutionalise development policies to ensure continuity, regardless of changes in political leadership.
According to him, the frequent abandonment of policies by successive governments has hindered national development and must be addressed through legal backing.
He proposed that all unimplemented policies be properly documented and made accessible, particularly to political parties seeking to assume power.
“Policy discontinuation, which has become a norm with successive governments, must be a thing of the past,” he said, adding that transparency would enable incoming administrations to build on existing frameworks rather than discard them.
Hon. Acquah further suggested that the reforms should include clear guidelines on how long a new government can attribute challenges to its predecessor.
He argued that political parties seeking power should already have a comprehensive understanding of the country’s condition before campaigning.
“If you don’t have an idea of the state of the country, you cannot campaign for power,” he stated.
His comments come amid broader discussions on strengthening the NDPC’s role to ensure long-term national planning and policy consistency, as Ghana pursues sustainable development goals.
As part of the reforms, the NDPC is merging various planning frameworks into a single, comprehensive national development plan aimed at preventing project abandonment across political administrations.
The reforms also emphasise a shift from planning to implementation, including the enforcement of a “No Plan, No Cash” policy to ensure that public spending aligns with approved development plans.
In addition, the reforms seek to deepen decentralisation by empowering local districts to manage their own resources, reducing over-centralisation in Accra and promoting balanced regional development.
The NDPC is further aligning development activities with a long-term 40-year national plan, dubbed Vision 2057, to ensure consistency in development objectives.
Other measures include strengthening the tracking of public investments and projects to improve accountability and efficiency in development outcomes.
Overall, the reforms are designed to enhance the effectiveness of national planning, ensuring it remains sustainable, integrated and responsive to the needs of the Ghanaian population.