Accra: Dr Audrey Smock Amoah, the Director-General of the National Development Planning Commission (NDPC), has stressed the importance of early childhood development (ECD) as the foundation of Ghana's human capital agenda. She noted that the country's socio-economic transformation could not be separated from investments in its youngest citizens.
According to Ghana News Agency, Dr Amoah, speaking at the THRIVE National Early Childhood Development stakeholders' meeting in Accra, emphasized that evidence consistently shows the early years are critical for brain development and lifelong outcomes. Globally, an estimated 250 million children remain at risk of not reaching their developmental potential. In Ghana, 17 percent of children under five are stunted, a reflection of chronic undernutrition. Taking into account early learning gaps and multidimensional poverty, the proportion of at-risk children is significantly higher, based on findings from the 2021 Population and Housing Census and Ghana Statistical Service's multidimensional poverty analysis.
Dr. Amoah explained that these challenges are not just social statistics but economic indicators with long-term implications. Children facing early deprivation are more likely to underperform in school, earn less as adults, and contribute less to national productivity. This scenario ultimately slows human capital accumulation and impedes economic transformation.
She mentioned that the NDPC is currently leading the preparation of a Human Capital Development Strategy, which is grounded on the belief that Ghana's long-term growth will be determined by the quality of its human capital, with early childhood as the foundation. The THRIVE Ghana initiative plays a direct role in this effort by generating robust evidence on effective interventions in ECD.
Dr Amoah emphasized the necessity for integrated service delivery across health, nutrition, education, and social protection, warning that isolated interventions limit impact. She reaffirmed NDPC's commitment to enhancing inter-sectoral alignment, harmonizing data systems, and ensuring evidence is effectively incorporated into planning, monitoring, and evaluation processes.
"I reaffirm the commitment of NDPC to advancing Early Childhood Development as a cornerstone of Ghana's Human Capital Agenda. The future of Ghana depends on what we do today for our children. Let us act decisively together," she stated.