The Chairman of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) Professor Stephen Adei has bemoaned the lack of resources at the commission.

Prof Adei said he is not paid as Chairman of the Commission, and although that does not worry him, he wants the Commission to be well-resourced to make it possible to hire top brains to achieve its core mandate.

Speaking in an interview with Benjamin Akakpo on the Executive Breakfast Show (EBS) on Class91.3FM on Wednesday, 17 July 2019, Prof Adei said: “Of all the Commissions of the Constitution, only the NDPC Chairman is not paid. I’m not paid as NDPC Chairman. I come to work, I don’t have any official car. I use my own car but I’m used to that.

“The only thing the office gives me is a GHS300 Goil coupon a week; that’s all. There’s no stipend and I spend about GHS2,000 on my own fuel for NDPC work, so, even I have to partly fuel my own car but I’m not complaining. For me, I stayed in GIMPA, I used an old Musso which had had an accident before I came. For three years I never complained and I decided to use that one even though coming from the UN, I had my own Benz, I parked my car because I believe you cannot behave like a lion leading a bunch of sheep; even if you’re a lion, you must behave like a sheep or they will run away, so, after three years, I decided to give it to my brother at a discount, he paid for it though, so, what I’m saying is that I’m used to that; that is not my problem but, at least, the Commission should be able to meet. Its technical committees should be able to meet to facilitate the work. So, we are doing our best.

“I’ve gone to the Bank of Ghana to help me have a Director-General because we don’t have a Director General. The salary of the Director-General of NDPC, I don’t see how I’m going to get a competent person to come on for GHS5,000 because a teacher in my school, Ghana Christian, earns more than the Director-General of NDPC…the salaries are almost impossible to attract top brains…”

The NDPC was established under Articles 86 and 87 of the 1992 Constitution as part of the Executive.

The National Development Planning Commission Act, 1994, (Act 479) and the National Development Planning (System) Act, 1994, (Act 480), provide the core legal framework for the establishment of the Commission and the performance of its functions.

In accordance with the provision under Article 87 of the Constitution, the core mandate of the Commission is to “advise the President on development planning policy and strategy” and, “at the request of the President or Parliament, or on its own initiative,” do the following:

(a) Study and make strategic analyses of macro-economic and structural reform options;

(b) Make proposals for the development of multi-year rolling plans taking into consideration the resource potential and comparative advantage of the different districts of Ghana;

(c) Make proposals for the protection of the natural and physical environment;

(d) Make proposals for ensuring the even development of the districts of Ghana by the effective utilisation of available resources; and

(e) Monitor, evaluate and coordinate development policies, programmes and projects.

The Commission, according to the Constitution, “shall also perform such other functions relating to development planning as the President may direct”.


Source: Ghana/ClassFMonline.com/91.3FM/Emmanuel Mensah