The Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), Dr Audrey Smock Amoah, has emphasised the importance of localizing the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) to ensure that no one was left behind in Ghana’s quest for sustainable development.
According to her, since 2018, the NDPC has worked to align the SDGs with Ghana’s Medium Term National Development Policy Frameworks, ensuring integration into local development plans and budgets. This initiative aims to address the needs of marginalized communities and enhance service delivery at the district level.
Ghana, through the coordination of NDPC, is set to provide its third report on national progress in implementing the SDGs at the High-Level Political Forum (HLPF) in July 2025.
The Director-General of NDPC, Dr Audrey Smock Amoah said this at the stakeholder town hall meeting in Atebubu Amanti Municipal Assembly in the Bono East Region. She added that achievements have been significant and the pace has varied across regions as well as sectors, necessitating a deeper commitment to localization.
“Localization means tailoring the SDGs to our unique local contexts underscored the critical role of local governments and stakeholders in achieving these goals, advocating for a Whole of Government and Whole of Society approachâ€, she said.
Dr Amoah added that, to further accelerate localisation, the NDPC has strengthened the capacities of all 261 Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) through technical assistance and training. It has also facilitated stakeholder engagements and partnered with development partners such as UNICEF to support SDG localisation.
Dr Audrey Amoah indicated that local authorities have begun conducting Voluntary Local Reviews (VLRs) to assess SDG progress within their jurisdictions. Following the Accra Metropolitan Assembly’s lead in 2020, two more districts, Ga West and Sekondi-Takoradi, have successfully produced VLRs, with over 15 districts currently engaged in similar efforts.
“The VLRs will improve national reporting, enhance data generation, and expand discussions on local needs,” she added.
Dr. Audrey Amoah urged all stakeholders to collaborate with the NDPC and local assemblies to advance SDG implementation in the Atebubu-Amantin Municipal and across the country.
“Together, we can ensure that the benefits of sustainable development reach all Ghanaians, particularly those in vulnerable communities,” she said.
On her part, the Child Rights Monitoring Specialist at UNICEF, Madam Rebecca Ama Koramah Kumi, said the VLR process presents a critical opportunity to identify gaps and build a shared vision with community stakeholders, stressing the importance of understanding the situation of children in the district and gathering solid evidence to inform local planning and budgeting.
She expressed confidence that Atebubu-Amanten could serve as a model for inclusive, participatory, and evidence-based planning, stating, “Local action drives national progress.”
Madam Kumi commended the Municipality’s commitment to the VLR process and reaffirmed UNICEF’s dedication to supporting the community in its development journey.
The meeting on the theme, ‘from goals to action – turning global commitments into local realities’ highlighted the progress Ghana has made since the adoption of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development in September 2015, at the national and sub-national levels, alongside the 17 SDGs that aim to eradicate poverty, protect the planet and promote peace and prosperity.
Joyce Adwoa Animia Ocran, ISD
