The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana (PMAG) is urging the government to take firm action to recover millions of dollars owed by West African governments for medicines supplied by Ghanaian pharmaceutical companies.
The association warns that the prolonged delay in payments threatens the financial stability of local manufacturers and could undermine Ghana’s ambition of becoming a pharmaceutical hub in the sub-region.
Speaking to the media in Accra on November 6, 2025, Dr Samuel Amo Tobbin, Executive Chairman of the Tobinco Group of Companies and President of PMAG, said the mounting debts owed by several Sahel countries have become a major concern.
“The president is talking about Ghana becoming a pharmaceutical hub. So, if this is to be realised, those of us who have started supplying and distributing products to the sub-region expect that the money owed to us, which is substantial, should be recovered. I cannot mention the exact figures here, as it is not about individual debtors in the country,” he said.
He noted that the debts are owed by governments, not private entities.
“We are talking about the governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, the Ivory Coast, and other countries in the sub-region, except Nigeria,” Dr Tobbin stated.
He appealed to the government to intervene at the highest diplomatic levels to help recover the funds, suggesting that collaboration among heads of state could ease the process.
“So, if our president or Parliament can support us in any way to get our money, perhaps by coordinating with their counterparts in these countries, we would be very grateful,” he added.
Chairman of Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr Mark Kurt Nawaane, acknowledged the industry’s concerns and assured that the Committee would engage relevant stakeholders to find lasting solutions.
“He’s highlighted a few challenges. I hope that we sit down with the government, the sector minister, and senior officials at Flagstaff House,” he said.
Dr Nawaane added that ongoing discussions would focus on strengthening the pharmaceutical sector and expanding its investment potential.
“We will review all these issues and explore how best we can support him to expand both horizontally and vertically in his investments,” he noted.