Chairman of Parliament’s Economy and Development Committee, Eric Aful, has called for urgent measures to address the growing concentration of Ghana’s economic activity in the Greater Accra Region, warning that the trend could undermine efforts to achieve balanced national development.
Mr. Aful, who is also the Member of Parliament for Amenfi West, expressed concern after figures presented by the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) showed that 43 per cent of Ghana’s Gross Domestic Product (GDP) is generated in the Greater Accra Region, with the city of Accra alone accounting for about 30 per cent.
Speaking during a meeting of the committee to consider the NDPC’s 2024 Annual Progress Report on government development programmes, Mr. Aful described the concentration of economic activity in the capital as unsustainable and called for a review of the country’s development planning framework.
“It would be necessary for the NDPC to revisit its development planning framework because the data shows that about 43 per cent of Ghana’s GDP is concentrated in Greater Accra, while Accra alone accounts for about 30 per cent. This trend needs to be reversed,” he stated.
According to him, the continued concentration of investment, infrastructure and economic opportunities in the capital has widened regional disparities and limited development prospects in many parts of the country.
Mr. Aful stressed the need for deliberate interventions to unlock the economic potential of other regions through targeted investments in infrastructure, industrialisation, agriculture and job creation.
He said a more balanced distribution of economic activity would not only promote inclusive growth but also strengthen national resilience and reduce development inequalities.
Responding to the concerns, Chairman of the NDPC, Dr. Nii Moi Thompson, acknowledged the country’s development imbalances and reaffirmed the Commission’s commitment to promoting equitable growth across all regions.
Dr. Thompson said the Commission was developing a Consolidated National Development Plan aimed at ensuring continuity in development policies while addressing regional inequalities and expanding economic opportunities nationwide.
He noted that the long-term framework would support efforts to spread economic growth more evenly across the country and ensure that all regions benefit from national development.
