Dr Emmanuel Akwetey, executive director, Institute for Democratic Governance (IDEG), has said sidelining the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) over the years by current and successive governments is worrying.
Dr Akwetey believes the continuous starving of such institutions to effectively discharge their duties is robbing the nation of its development.
Speaking with Kofi Abotsi on Town Hall Talk on Asaase Radio on Friday (5 November), Dr Akwetey said: “The institutions have been weakened and they have not even been empowered. And they don’t give them enough money to do anything.”
“NDPC is the monitoring and evaluation institution of the state. Look at how the political parties when they come both sides – National Democratic Congress (NDC) and the New Patriotic Party (NPP) – they sidelined them, they have reduced it to some Siberia.”
“They come up with quarterly reports and so on, to what extent are their reports taken seriously to influence disbursement of funds,” Dr Akwetey added.
Depoliticising NDPC and others
Dr Akwetey said depoliticising such institutions will make them more efficient.
“We should have institutions of state professionalised: people with the competencies and not just party identity. Even party identity may not rank anymore because people will value their professional competencies to do things and the empowerment they have from the state, and how do you do this, you have to get to the table and agree because you can impose it.”
About NDPC
The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) was established under Articles 86 and 87 of the 1992 Constitution as part of the executive.
It is responsible for advising the President on national development planning policy and strategy by providing a national development policy framework, preparing and ensuring effective implementation of approved national development plans and to coordinate economic, and social activities country-wide in a manner that will ensure accelerated and sustainable development of the country.
Fred Dzakpata
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