Does Devtplan work across all 16 regions of Ghana?

Yes. Our Accra HQ and Tamale Northern-sector office give us operational reach across all regions. Our local-government work has spanned the Eastern, Greater Accra, Volta, and Oti regions, and we maintain relationships with MMDA planning staff across the country.

What does NDPC-compliant district planning look like?

The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) sets the standards and formats for district development plans in Ghana. Devtplan prepares plans that align with the NDPC's Guidelines for District Medium-Term Development Plans, ensuring that the plan's results framework, targets, and reporting formats are compatible with national tracking systems.

Can you support a district assembly that has limited internal capacity?

Yes — this is often the case. We design our engagements to work with the staff that are present and to build their capacity as the assignment progresses, so that the Assembly has stronger in-house capability by the end. We do not deliver plans in a way that leaves the institution dependent on consultants to maintain or update them.

Do you work with NGOs on local governance and civic education?

Yes. We have supported civil-society organisations conducting civic education, community accountability initiatives, and participatory budgeting processes at the district level.

Local Government Capacity Building in Ghana

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Ghana's decentralisation framework places significant development responsibilities on Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs). Devtplan Consult helps these institutions build the evidence base and institutional capacity to fulfil those responsibilities: strategic and investment plans, performance assessment, capacity-building programmes, and the technical tools to measure and improve their own performance. We have worked directly with the Ministry of Local Government & Rural Development and multiple Assemblies across the Eastern, Greater Accra, and Oti regions.

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What it involves

What is a Local Economic Development plan?

A Local Economic Development (LED) plan is a medium-to-long-term strategy that a district or municipal assembly develops to grow its local economy — attracting investment, developing value chains, improving infrastructure, and creating employment. The plan is grounded in a diagnostic of the local economy (sectors, employment structure, competitive advantages, constraints) and results in a prioritised investment and implementation programme. Devtplan has prepared LED plans for Akuapem North and Abuakwa South Municipal Assemblies.

What is the District Performance Assessment Tool (DPAT)?

The DPAT is Ghana's primary mechanism for assessing the composite performance of MMDAs across the country. It evaluates districts on a standard set of indicators covering financial management, service delivery, and administrative effectiveness. Devtplan was commissioned by the Ministry of Local Government & Rural Development to review and update the DPAT indicator set for the Volta and Oti regions — one of the most technically demanding local-governance assignments in the sector.

What kinds of capacity-building programmes does Devtplan deliver?

We design and deliver training programmes, workshops, and technical assistance for district-level planning officers, finance officers, M&E staff, and senior management. Topics include development planning, performance monitoring, data management, project implementation, public financial management, and community engagement. We also support MDAs and civil-society organisations in the design of their own capacity-strengthening systems.

How does Devtplan approach strategic planning for local government?

Our process begins with a participatory situational analysis — quantitative data on the district economy and population combined with stakeholder consultations across sectors and communities. We then facilitate a structured process to identify priorities, articulate a vision, set targets, and produce an implementable plan with a monitoring framework. Plans are designed to meet NDPC requirements and to attract development finance.

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Methods & approaches

Local Economic Development (LED) and strategic investment plan development
District Performance Assessment Tool (DPAT) reviews and facilitation
Participatory planning workshops and stakeholder consultations
Capacity-building programmes for MMDA planning, finance, and M&E staff
Institutional diagnostics and organisational assessments
Community engagement and civil-society strengthening
Performance-monitoring framework design for local government
Technical assistance to NDPC planning processes

Who this service is for

Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs); MDAs including the Ministry of Local Government & Rural Development; civil-society organisations engaged in local governance and community development; development partners funding local-government reform programmes.

Related work

01 / 2022

PASEWAY (BMZ)

Endline Evaluation — BMZ PASEWAY Programme

Employment & Youth — Multi-region

02 / 2020

Ministry of Local Government & Rural Development

Review of DPAT Indicators — Volta and Oti Regions

Local Governance — Volta, Oti

03 / 2019

Abuakwa South Municipal Assembly

Local Economic Development Plan — Abuakwa South Municipal Assembly

Local Economic Development — Eastern

View all assignments →

Frequently asked questions

Does Devtplan work across all 16 regions of Ghana?: Yes. Our Accra HQ and Tamale Northern-sector office give us operational reach across all regions. Our local-government work has spanned the Eastern, Greater Accra, Volta, and Oti regions, and we maintain relationships with MMDA planning staff across the country.
What does NDPC-compliant district planning look like?: The National Development Planning Commission (NDPC) sets the standards and formats for district development plans in Ghana. Devtplan prepares plans that align with the NDPC's Guidelines for District Medium-Term Development Plans, ensuring that the plan's results framework, targets, and reporting formats are compatible with national tracking systems.
Can you support a district assembly that has limited internal capacity?: Yes — this is often the case. We design our engagements to work with the staff that are present and to build their capacity as the assignment progresses, so that the Assembly has stronger in-house capability by the end. We do not deliver plans in a way that leaves the institution dependent on consultants to maintain or update them.
Do you work with NGOs on local governance and civic education?: Yes. We have supported civil-society organisations conducting civic education, community accountability initiatives, and participatory budgeting processes at the district level.

Local Government & Capacity Building in Ghana