Strategic Approach To National Development Planning

COMMENTARY ON THE NEED FOR A STRATEGIC, NON PARTISAN APPROACH TO NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING IN GHANA

Governance and Democracy are widely recognized as key ingredients for development. The Multi party Democracy wind that hit Africa in the early 1990s represented a sharp historical discontinuity in the mode of governance. Evidence seems to confirm that, African countries where multi party democracy has been established perform better as agents of development. In Ghana, it is an understatement to state that multi party democracy has brought a lot of gains to the nation in all areas of development. One of the challenges that confront multi party democracy however is the contention between political party ideologies and national aspirations in setting long term national development agenda. This is especially so when considering for instance the strength of a party manifesto against national development agenda. As a nation, development planning has been a part of us since time immemorial 

Ghana’s history in development planning dates back to the colonial period with the first development plan by Gordon Guggisburg, in 1919. Ghana has ever since had numerous development plans such as Kwame Nkrumah’s Seven year Development Plan, the Vision 2020, the Ghana Poverty Reduction Strategy 1 and 2 and currently the Ghana Shared Growth and Development Agenda. Consensus building for national development planning the world over has time and time again been a daunting task although it is laudable in achieving the best in a democratic dispensation. It is worthwhile to state that when development plans are sometimes clothed in political colours it makes it difficult for other governments to use them. More often than not strategies and programmes are sometimes abruptly cut short, especially with change in government. This is most probably as a result of the tendency for some politicians to regard particular development strategies as owned by a particular party in Government as such their reluctance to embrace them. It is among this and other reasons that the National Development Planning Commission in Ghana is putting in place a strategic framework for a long term development plan. Think tanks, parliament, academia, civil society, formal and informal business associations, civil society organizations, faith-based organizations, youth groups among others will make inputs in this long term development strategy, so that it can be nationally owned.  It is believed that such a non partisan long-term national development framework, when translated into a long-term national development plan would serve as yardstick by which programmes and manifestoes of political parties would be measured. That way, manifestoes would come closer and closer to each other, and the differences may be in the pace at which one government wants to develop and how efficiently to apply resources and the capacity to mobilize additional human and material resources. 

Indeed, if there is any period when such a strategic framework for national development planning is priceless, it is now when Ghana has become an oil-exporting state with an experience of a strong growth. There is the need for a fair and objective approach towards harnessing this potential. For development planning to become purposeful, national vision other than political manifestoes must become prime components in development planning. Political parties from generation to generations would do the nation a great service if they relate their manifestoes to such a strategic framework to carry the development vision of the entire nation. The importance of long term non partisan strategic development planning can indeed not be over emphasised. This might have warranted a critical look at the role of the National Development Planning Commission in development planning by the Constitution Review Commission. The recommendation which has been accepted by Government and indicated in the Government White Paper for a long term strategic multi-year rolling national development plan is indeed a step in right direction. It is hoped the National Development Planning Commission will further be given the necessary mandate to develop this strategic long term framework that will be carried on by successive governments. This would go a long way to ensure an overall nationalistic approach to development planning in Ghana. Such a policy framework will ensure that there is the needed synergy and proper sequencing in development planning that would ensure policy stability and harmony in development planning.

BY: DAVID OWUSU-AMOAH, NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING COMMISSION.(0278288408)