The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) and the Information Services Department (ISD) have reaffirmed their commitment to closer collaboration as Ghana moves to finalize and implement its Consolidated National Development Plan.
The two institutions met on Friday, 29th May 2026, at the ISD Conference Room in Accra to align strategies on public communication, citizen engagement, and nationwide sensitization.
The stakeholder engagement forms part of NDPC’s broader consultation process ahead of the rollout of the Consolidated National Development Plan.
The Plan is designed to harmonize existing long-term development frameworks into a single national blueprint that will guide Ghana’s development trajectory and ensure coherence in planning, implementation, and monitoring across government agencies.
During the meeting, officials from both institutions explored strategic areas of partnership, with emphasis on how ISD’s nationwide network can support public education and citizen participation. Discussions centered on leveraging ISD’s field officers, community information centers, and media platforms to deepen awareness and ownership of the Plan at the grassroots level.
The engagement also ties into wider efforts to strengthen the civic and communication foundations needed for effective national development planning.
As part of this, NDPC is championing a complementary national agenda themed “New Values, New Society,” aimed at re-orienting the Ghanaian citizenry toward a shared value system that will serve as the moral and civic bedrock for development.
Presenting NDPC’s vision for the Consolidated National Development Plan, Director-General Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah said the Commission had been tasked by the President to prepare the document to guide Ghana’s long-term transformation.
She stressed that sound policy alone would not deliver results without an effective communication strategy that resonates with citizens.
She noted that changing patterns of information consumption mean public institutions must rethink how they engage the public.
“As we move forward, one important question we must ask ourselves is how we can also change the way we work and communicate with the people,” Dr. Amoah said.
“Today, information dissemination must evolve with changing times and changing habits. We are proposing a more strategic and people-centred approach through documentaries, jingles, posters, social media content and other communication tools that can effectively reach citizens where they are.”
Dr. Amoah observed that digital platforms have become central to everyday life and present a valuable opportunity to deepen public engagement on development issues. She added that combining traditional ISD outreach with modern digital tools will be critical to ensuring the Plan is understood and embraced nationwide.
Officials at the meeting agreed that successful implementation of the Consolidated National Development Plan will depend not only on technical coordination but also on building public trust and reinforcing national values.
The “New Values, New Society” agenda, they noted, will complement policy objectives by promoting civic responsibility, patriotism, and social cohesion.
Both NDPC and ISD pledged to sustain the collaboration through joint campaigns, content development, and feedback mechanisms that allow citizens to contribute to the Plan’s implementation and monitoring.
The Consolidated National Development Plan is expected to provide a unified framework for government, development partners, and the private sector, ensuring that Ghana’s development efforts are aligned toward shared national goals.
