The Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana (PMAG) has urged the government to take bold action to recover millions of dollars owed by some West African countries for medicines supplied by Ghanaian companies.
The association warns that delayed payments could cripple local pharmaceutical firms and derail Ghana’s bid to be a sub-regional hub.
Addressing the media in Accra on Thursday, November 6, 2025, the Executive Chairman of the Tobinco Group of Companies and President of PMAG, Dr. Samuel Amo Tobbin revealed that debts owed by several Sahel countries have become a major concern for local manufacturers.
“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 stressed that the debts are owed by governments in the region, not private individuals.
“We are talking about the governments of Burkina Faso, Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast, and other countries in the sub-region, except Nigeria,” Dr Tobbin clarified.
He urged the government to intervene at the highest level, suggesting collaboration between heads of state could help recover funds.
“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 said.
Chairman of Parliament’s Health Committee, Dr. Mark Kurt Nawaan, on his part, recognised the challenges faced by the local pharmaceutical industry and promised that the Committee would engage key stakeholders to find a sustainable solution.
Dr. Nawaane added discussions would focus on boosting sector strength, investment & growth.
“We will review all these issues and explore how best we can support him to expand both horizontally and vertically in his investments,” he affirmed.
