The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) made an impassioned plea for a long-term, citizen-centric approach to national development planning, as part of its current review of the nation's 40-Year Plan.
Speaking at the forum with three of the five best performed political parties in the 2020 general elections on the review of the Long-Term National Development Plan of Ghana: 2018-2057 in Accra on Wednesday, February 14^th 2024, the Director-General of the NDPC, Dr Kodjo Mensah Abrampa traced Ghana's long history of development planning dating back to the 1920s and highlighted both achievements and challenges. "While we have made important strides over the decades with initiatives focusing on infrastructure, agriculture, and social services, we have often struggled with continuity between governments. This has hampered our progress," he noted. 
Dr. Abrampa stressed that the time had come for a simplified, flexible planning methodology directly informed by the aspirations of Ghanaians across the country. "We need a cohesive national vision with clear targets and metrics aligned to the hopes and expectations of our citizens. This will enable us to accurately gauge progress against agreed objectives," he asserted.
The NDPC has initiated a review of the Long-Term National Development Plan of Ghana (2018-2057), known as the 40-Year Plan, to reflect recent global events and emerging issues.
The proposed revised document, to be called the "Long-Term National Development Perspective Framework" or "Vision 2057", has already incorporated feedback from civil society, experts, government agencies and others. He stated that further engagements will be held with Parliament, traditional authorities, and crucially, political parties.  The Director-General emphasised the critical importance of active public participation in shaping plans.
"If our development strategy does not reflect the living realities of Ghanaians from all walks of life, we cannot expect it to succeed," he warned. He elaborated on the value of countrywide citizen forums and robust public feedback mechanisms in the review process.Touching on the impact of recent global crises, the NDPC head underscored the need for pragmatic assessments and flexibility.
"From COVID-19 to climate change, we face evolving challenges that require us to regularly review our goals and priorities. Our planning cannot afford to remain static," he said. Dr. Abrampa called for close collaboration between all stakeholders to realise the nation's aspirations and align with the emerging long-term vision.
Participating in the consultative session, representatives of the Convention People's Party, Ghana Movement Union, and People's National Convention welcomed the proposals and committed to integrating the principles into their manifestos. "We look forward to working together across party lines to advance sustainable development for our country," one representative affirmed.