The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), in collaboration with the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection and with support from GIZ PAIReD programme, has convened a stakeholder validation meeting to review the Assessment of Social Protection Data Coordination and Sharing Mechanism, Capacity and Change Management Report.

Held on 22 October 2026 in Accra, the meeting brought together stakeholders to examine the report’s findings and recommendations, identify gaps in existing data systems and propose practical measures to strengthen information sharing across national, regional and district levels.

Opening the meeting, the Director-General of NDPC, Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah, highlighted the importance of reliable, accessible and regularly updated data in identifying vulnerable populations and responding to their needs.

She noted that Ghana’s challenge was not necessarily the absence of data, but difficulties in locating information, identifying the institutions that hold it and determining how it could be shared. She urged participants to critically review the report, identify gaps and propose practical recommendations with clear responsibilities and implementation costs where possible.

The Director of Social Protection at the Ministry of Gender, Children and Social Protection, Madam Francisca Atuluk, stressed that timely, reliable and coordinated data was essential for identifying vulnerable populations, targeting interventions and monitoring social protection programmes.

She encouraged stakeholders to take ownership of the report and ensure its recommendations translate into practical and sustainable improvements in data coordination and information sharing.

Representing GIZ-PAIReD, Ms. Leticia Ernin highlighted the importance of coordinated social protection data in evidence-based planning, resource allocation and monitoring development outcomes. She noted that effective data sharing required strong leadership, clearly defined institutional roles, trust and collaboration, reaffirming the programme’s commitment to supporting Ghana’s decentralised planning system.

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NDPC PR-UNIT