The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) has commenced a virtual inaugural meeting of the preparation of the medium-term national development policy framework (MTNDPF) for 2022 -2025.

A statement issued by Dr Kodjo Esseim-Mensah Abrampah, the Director-General, NDPC, copied to the Ghana News Agency, said the MTNDPF for 2022 -2025, which would be a successor to the current one, "Agenda for Jobs: Creating Prosperity and Equal Opportunity for All (2018-2021)" was in accordance with the National Development Planning Commission Act 1994, Act 790.

It said Act 790 required the Commission to among others to keep under constant review national development plans in the light of prevailing domestic and international economic, social and political conditions and make recommendations for the revision of existing policies and programmes where necessary.

The statement said it was also to formulate comprehensive national development planning strategies and ensure that the strategies, including consequential policies and programmes were effectively carried out.

The statement said the Commission was currently, conducting a mid-term evaluation of the Agenda for Jobs to ascertain the extent of progress achieved in the implementation of policies, programmes, projects and contributions made towards national development objectives and goals.

It said the findings would serve as key inputs for the design and implementation of the successor MTNDPF, 2022-2025.

It noted that beginning September 23, the Commission would be convening six Cross-Sectoral Planning Groups (CSPGs) comprising state and non-state actors to review the implementation of the Agenda for Jobs, analyze development trends, emerging issues in the domestic and external environment, and make proposals for priority development objectives for the next Medium-Term National Development Policy Framework (2022-2025).

The statement said the six CSPGs would focus on Economic Development, Social Development, Environment, Infrastructure and Spatial, Governance, Implementation Coordination and Emergency Preparedness/COVID-19 response and recovery.

It said membership of the Cross-Sectoral Planning Groups was strictly by invitation and noted that the Commission was, however, opening up the process to the general public to make submissions on issues of national importance for consideration during deliberations on national priorities for the next medium-term national development policy framework.

It said the submissions, which should be succinct and evidence-based should be sent to info@ndpc.gov.gh by October 30th, 2020, and titled: Submission for the Medium-Term National Development Policy Framework (2022-2025), Development Dimension: Economic Development (intended recipient CSPG).

The statement said the public was also invited to follow the virtual inaugural meeting for the preparation of the Medium Term National Development Policy Framework, which would be streamed live on NDPC Ghana (Facebook).