Accra, July 16, GNA- President John Evans Atta Mills on Friday inaugurated the reconstituted members of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) and charged them to delineate the national path for development.

The mission is constitutionally mandated to advise the President on development planning policy and strategy by providing a national development policy framework and ensuring that strategies including consequential policies and programmes are effectively carried out to enhance the well-being and living standards of all Ghanaians on a sustainable basis.

President Mills reminded the Commission, chaired by Mr Paul Victor Obeng, former presidential advisor, to use their expertise and gamut of knowledge of diverse fields as well as their track records to fashion out a development blueprint within Government's Better Ghana programme.

The end product of their activity is to inure to the benefit of all Ghanaians, President Mills said.

He thanked members of the Commission for their desire to serve the nation in the new capacity in addition to the present national assignments, putting their personal interests aside for the sake of the nation.

President Mills assured the members of Government's co-operation and urged them to draw Government's attention to any difficulties they might face.

Mr Obeng thanked the President for the confidence reposed in members of the Commission.

He said the Commission had already started work and they had formed a collegiate of people from across Ghana's political divide to work to correct any imbalance in the national development planning document.

According to Mr Obeng, the Commission was working on a Medium Term National Development Framework for the Government Ministries, Departments and Agencies and consultations were underway to provide a comprehensive document towards national economic development.

Mr Obeng assured President Mills that the final document would fall within and satisfy all sectors to serve Ghana and the people.

The Commission has 29 members with eight ex-officio members. They are Mr Kwamena Ahwoi, Governance Expert; Dr Fritz Gokel of the Economics Department of the University of Ghana; Mr Tsatsu Tsikata, a Legal Practitioner; Mr Steve Akuffo, Architectural Consultant; Prof Jacob Songore of the Geography Department, University of Ghana; Dr George Essegbey of the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research; and Mr Kwame Peprah, an Economist.

Others are Mr Ishmael Yamson, a Management Consultant, Dr Nii Moi Thompson, an Economist; Prof Takyiwa Manu, of the University of Ghana, Prof Agyemang Badu Akosa, of the Department of Pathology of the University of Ghana; and Prof Agyemang Badu of the Ghana Institute of Management and Public Administration (GIMPA).

Also included are Mrs Johanna Swaniker; Mrs Eugenia Date Baah; Prof Ivan Addae-Mensah, former Vice Chancellor of the University of Ghana; Dr Sulley Gariba, of the Savanna Accelerated Development Authority (SADA), Dr Matthias Akotia, Brand Ghana; and Dr Obu Andah.

The rest are Regional Representatives including Mr Michael Agyekum Addo for the Eastern, Dr Joshu Adam Yidana, Northern; Mr Maurice Tanko Abisa Seidu, Upper East; Mr Godfred Seidu Jasaw, Upper West; Dr Robert Dodoo, Greater Accra; Dr Edith Tetteh, Volta; Mr Samuel Adu Yeboah, Central; Mr Asante Mensah, Wetern; Mr Samuel Asiedu, Brong Ahafo; and Prof Seth Opuni Asiama, of the Kwame Nkrumah University of Science and Technology.

The ex-officio members are the Ministers of Finance and Economic Planning, Local Government and Rural Development, Food and Agriculture, Trade and Industry and Energy

The other ex-officio members are the Government Statistician and the Director General of the NDPC.

MI