The Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah, on Tuesday, 31st March 2026, chaired the official launch of Ghana’s National Shock-Responsive Social Protection Strategy (NSRSPS), emphasising the urgent need to strengthen national systems to better anticipate, prepare for, and respond to shocks.

The event, organised by the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection (MoGCSP) under the theme, “From Preparedness to Resilience: Strengthening Shock-Responsive Social Protection Systems in Ghana,” brought together key stakeholders from government, development partners, civil society, academia, and the private sector.

In her acceptance remarks as Chairperson, Dr. Amoah expressed appreciation to the Ministry for the honour and noted that the launch comes at a critical time when Ghana continues to experience multiple and overlapping shocks, including the COVID-19 pandemic, climate-related events such as floods, and global economic and geopolitical disruptions.

She emphasised that such shocks are no longer isolated or distant occurrences but have become an integral part of the development context within which planning and policy responses must be anchored. “Shocks are no longer isolated events imagined at a distance, but rather a part of the development context within which we must plan and act,” she stated.

Dr. Amoah further highlighted that the impacts of these shocks are not evenly distributed, but are often location- and context-specific, disproportionately affecting vulnerable populations, including the poor, women, children, older persons, persons with disabilities, those in informal livelihoods, and communities in high-risk areas. “The most vulnerable are often the most affected and the least able to recover without support,” she noted.

She explained that the National Shock-Responsive Social Protection Strategy is designed to strengthen Ghana’s collective capacity to respond to shocks in a more coordinated, efficient, and effective manner. The strategy is supported by accompanying Standard Operating Procedures (SOPs) and an Implementation Plan to guide its operationalisation. She called on stakeholders to actively contribute to the successful implementation of the strategy, stressing that their participation reflects the critical roles they play in strengthening resilience and addressing shocks across sectors.

Following her remarks, the Minister for Gender, Children and Social Protection, Dr. Agnes Naa Momo Lartey, described the strategy as a comprehensive and forward-looking framework to guide Ghana’s response to shocks. She noted that the NSRSPS provides a coherent national approach to anticipating risks, preparing in advance, responding rapidly when shocks occur, and supporting recovery in a coordinated, efficient, and inclusive manner.  She further emphasised that the strategy aligns with Ghana’s national development priorities and global commitments, including the Sustainable Development Goals particularly Goal 1 on ending poverty and Goal 10 on reducing inequalities. 

The launch forms part of ongoing national efforts to strengthen Ghana’s social protection architecture and enhance resilience in the face of increasing risks and vulnerabilities.

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NDPC PR-UNIT