The Ambassador of the Royal Norwegian Embassy to Ghana, Dr. John Mikal Kvistad, has commended Ghana’s progress in sustainable development planning during a courtesy call on the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) in Accra.
The Ambassador made the remarks on Monday, 1 June 2026, during a meeting with the management of the Commission, led by the Director-General, Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah. The engagement focused on Ghana’s development priorities, ongoing initiatives and opportunities for enhanced cooperation in sustainable and inclusive development.
Dr. Amoah outlined the mandate of the NDPC, describing it as the Government’s principal advisory body on national development planning and policy coordination.
“The NDPC plays a central role in ensuring that development efforts across Government are coordinated, aligned and responsive to national priorities,” she said, adding that the Commission works with Ministries, Departments and Agencies as well as local government structures to strengthen planning and implementation systems.
She noted that the Commission is responsible for preparing the Medium-Term National Development Policy Framework, coordinating planning processes across national and sub-national levels, and monitoring development outcomes through periodic assessments.
“Effective development planning requires strong institutions, reliable data and meaningful collaboration among stakeholders,” she said.
A Principal Planning Analyst at the Commission, Mr. Philip Acheampong, also briefed the delegation on key programmes being implemented by the NDPC, including the Smart Cities Programme and the Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) on Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
He explained that the Smart Cities Programme is aimed at supporting selected cities to design strategic investments that promote urban transformation and resilience, while improving service delivery and sustainability.
He further outlined efforts under the Voluntary Local Reviews initiative, which he said is helping Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies assess progress on SDG implementation and strengthen local reporting systems.
Mr. Acheampong added that sustainability remains central to the Commission’s work, stressing the importance of institutional ownership, capacity building and partnerships in ensuring long-term impact.
Dr. Kvistad welcomed the progress made under the Smart Cities Programme and the SDG localisation efforts, describing them as important steps toward strengthening evidence-based development planning.
He commended the NDPC for its role in improving coordination and reporting systems at the local level and emphasised the importance of locally driven development interventions.
The Ambassador reaffirmed Norway’s commitment to supporting initiatives that promote sustainable urban development, effective planning systems and stronger collaboration among development partners.
The engagement formed part of ongoing cooperation between Ghana and the Royal Norwegian Embassy aimed at advancing sustainable development outcomes.
