1. Why is Evaluation important to Government
Why is Evaluation important to Government? Creating an enabling environment for evaluation in Ghana – Tuesday, 6th June, 2017 Ho Forum
Nana Opare-Djan, Deputy Director, M&E Division National Development Planning Commission

2. BRIEF HISTORY OF NDPC
1987 – Cabinet decided to establish NDPC based on the Report by International Group of Experts
1987 – Transitional Implementation Team (Tit) Set up to Propose Organisational Structure, Recruitment and Preparatory Committee for the establishment of the NDPC
1990 – NDPC commenced actual work under the Preparatory Committee for the Establishment of NDPC (PREPCOM), chaired by Lt. Gen Arnold Quainoo, Else while PNDC Member.
1992 – NDPC was provided for in the 1992 (4th Republican) Constitution
1994- Enabling Acts of Parliament of Ghana passed to formally establish NDPC (NDPC Act 1994, Act 479), and the Decentralised Planning System (NDPS Act 1994, Act 480)
1995, June 2,, first “Board of Governors” or ‘Commission’ was formally sworn in by the then President of the Republic of Ghana. H. E. Flt Lt. J. J. Rawlings
2002, February 7, Second Commission was formally inaugurated by H. E. the President of the Republic of Ghana, H. E. Mr. J. A. Kuffour
2014 Current Commission formally inaugurated by H. E the President of the Republic of Ghana, John Dramani Mahama

3. MEMBERSHIP OF THE COMMISSION
(GOVERNING BOARD)
CHAIRMAN
DIRECTOR-GENERAL
Key Ministers responsible for
-Finance, Education, Environment, Science and Technology, Employment & Labour Relations, Health, Food and Agriculture, Local Government & Rural Development, Trade & Industries etc
GOVERNOR OF BANK OF GHANA
GOVERNMENT STATISTICIAN
REGIONAL REPRESENTATIVES
Government Appointees

4. MISSION OF NDPC
To advise the President of the Republic of Ghana (and Parliament on request) on national development policy and strategy by providing a framework for accelerated and sustainable development of the country to promote continuous improvement in the living standards of all Ghanaians.

5. a. establishing and regulating the decentralized planning system
 Broad activities to achieve mission
 a. establishing and regulating the decentralized planning system
coordinating formulation of national and sectoral development policies
coordinating preparation of multi-year rolling development plans of Ministries, Departments, Agencies (MDAs) and Metropolitan, Municipal & District Assemblies (DAs)
harmonizing multi-year rolling development plans of MDAs and DAs into national development plans.

6. monitoring and evaluating development policies, programmes and projects
Make proposal for the protection of natural and physical environment
Make proposal to ensure even development of districts of Ghana, by effectively utilising available resources
serving as pro-active and responsive nerve center for dealing with national and international issues that impact on the country’s development.

7. NATIONAL DEVELOPMENT PLANNING PROCESS
Traditional approach to planning
Planning was national in scope and sectoral in nature
Described as Top-down and highly centralised
Planning approach defines national goals and objectives
Formulate national development plans from the perspective of a few staff of Ministries and other central government bodies without extensive consultation and participation of beneficiaries

8. NEW PLANNING PROCESS Is decentralised in scope and nature
Creates and clearly identifies political and bureaucratic bodies
Assigns them with authority, responsibility and roles in ways that promote partnership in planning
Identifies functions, further decentralise the planning process
Effect integration and effectiveness in the formulation and implementation of development policies and programmes at national, regional, district and sectoral levels.
The process caters for community participation, inter-sectoral and interdisciplinary collaboration
Involves continuous monitoring and evaluation of implementation to provide effective feed back

9. Why Decentralised Planning Process
ensures participation from the lower levels - grassroots
overall planning captures priorities of lower units
ensures effectiveness
people living in a particular location know their problems better than outsiders and as such are capable of identifying more realistic and relevant solutions to address them.
allows the local people to sustainably, mobilize and allocate resource to meet their priorities.
decide on the type of services that they will need or project to be undertaken, where to obtain it or to be located and how much they will pay for it or contribute towards the project’s implementation so that the service or project can be in operation and constantly maintained.

10. LEGAL FRAMEWORK
1992 Republican Constitution of Ghana, (4th Republic) is the basis for the National development planning process
Articles 86 (sets up NDPC) and 87 (prescribes its functions)
National Development Commission Act 1994, Act 479 of the Parliament of Ghana formally established NDPC in September 1994
National Development Planning (Systems), Act 1994, Act 480 provided the functions of the planning units at all levels
PNDC Law 327 (Civil Service Law of January 1993).
Local Government Act, 1993, Act 462
Legislative Instruments setting up the Metropolitan/Municipal/District Assemblies and the Sub-district levels (1961, 1967, 2232)

11. Planning functions of the National Development Planning Commission
issuing approved development policies as directed by the President for the guidance of the public and private sector
prescribing the format and content of development plans for the districts, ministries and sector agencies
co-ordinating district development plans and programmes submitted through the RCCs and ensure that these plans and programmes are compatible with national development objectives
integrating economic, spatial and sectoral plans of ministries and sectoral agencies and ensure that these plans are compatible with national development objectives
advising relevant agencies on the formulation of guidelines for the regulation of physical development
in collaboration with relevant agencies, monitor physical development to ensure that any proposed development conforms with the approved development plans for the respective area
performing such other functions as are reasonably related to development planning, policy and strategy.

12. Planning units
National Development Planning Commission [Cross-sectoral Planning Groups]
Ministries, Sector Departments and Agencies (MDAs) [Policy. Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation Division (PPMED)]
Regional Coordinating Councils (RCCs) [Regional Planning Coordinating Units (RPCUs)]
Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) [Metropolitan, Municipal and District Planning Coordinating Units (MMDPCUs)]

13. The national development planning process begins with the formulation of national development policy framework through extensive public consultation and participation throughout the country