The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) and the Information Services Department (ISD) on Friday, 29th May 2026, reaffirmed their commitment to closer collaboration during a stakeholder engagement held at the ISD Conference Room in Accra. The meeting focused on supporting the preparation and effective implementation of Ghana’s Consolidated National Development Plan.The Consolidated National Development Plan seeks to harmonise existing long-term development frameworks into a single national blueprint to guide Ghana’s development trajectory and ensure coherence in planning, implementation and monitoring.As part of the stakeholder consultation process, the NDPC engaged officials of the ISD to explore strategic areas of partnership, including public communication, citizen engagement and nationwide awareness creation to support the Plan’s successful rollout.The engagement also forms part of broader efforts to strengthen the communication and civic foundations necessary for effective national development planning, including complementary initiatives aimed at reinforcing national values and social cohesion.In this regard, the Commission is championing a complementary national agenda themed “New Values, New Society”, which seeks to re-orient the Ghanaian citizenry towards a shared value system that will serve as the moral and civic bedrock of national development efforts.Presenting the Commission’s vision for the Consolidated National Development Plan, the Director-General of the NDPC, Dr. Audrey Smock Amoah, said the Commission had been tasked by the President to prepare a Consolidated National Development Plan to guide Ghana’s long-term transformation. She emphasised the importance of complementing sound policies with an effective public communication strategy that connects with citizens and inspires behavioural change.She noted that changing patterns of information consumption require public institutions to rethink how they engage citizens and communicate national development priorities. “As we move forward, one important question we must ask ourselves is how we can also change the way we work and communicate with the people,” she said. “Today, information dissemination must evolve with changing times and changing habits. We are proposing a more strategic and people-centred approach through documentaries, jingles, posters, social media content and other communication tools that can effectively reach citizens where they are.”Dr. Amoah observed that digital platforms have become central to everyday life and present a valuable opportunity to deepen public engagement on development issues. “Almost everyone is constantly on their phones, whether at home, in the office or while travelling,” she stated. “This presents a great opportunity for us to communicate effectively through these channels and ensure that the right information reaches the public in a timely and engaging manner.”