Bawumia Moves To Make Ghana West Africa’s Pharmaceutical Hub

According to a report by Kessben TV, on Saturday October 24, 2026, New Patriotic Party (NPP) presidential candidate Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has continued his stakeholder engagement efforts with a visit to the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana (PSG) House in Accra, where he met with the leadership of the professional body to discuss strategies for strengthening Ghana’s pharmaceutical industry.

The meeting, which took place yesterday, formed part of Dr. Bawumia’s broader consultations with key stakeholders across various sectors as he seeks to gather expert opinions and proposals on policies that could support Ghana’s economic development and improve the delivery of essential services.

During the engagement, the former Vice President listened to the concerns, recommendations and professional insights of the society’s leadership, particularly on how Ghana could position itself as the leading pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in West Africa.

The discussions focused on the opportunities available to expand local pharmaceutical production, improve the operating environment for manufacturers and create a more supportive ecosystem for pharmacists and other professionals working in the sector.

A key issue raised during the consultative meeting was the need to strengthen domestic manufacturing capacity. Increasing the production of medicines locally could help reduce Ghana’s dependence on imported pharmaceutical products, improve the availability of essential drugs and create additional employment opportunities within the industry.

Building a stronger local pharmaceutical sector could also position Ghana to serve markets across West Africa, provided the country develops the necessary production capacity, regulatory systems and investment environment to compete effectively.

Dr. Bawumia’s engagement with the Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana also addressed the importance of streamlining regulatory processes to make it easier for pharmaceutical businesses to operate while maintaining the necessary standards for the safety, quality and effectiveness of medicines.

An efficient regulatory framework is considered essential to attracting investment, supporting innovation and ensuring that locally manufactured pharmaceutical products can meet both domestic and international requirements.

The discussions further highlighted the need to improve support for pharmacists, whose professional expertise plays a crucial role in healthcare delivery, medicine management and patient safety.

Strengthening the pharmaceutical profession, improving working conditions and creating opportunities for professional development could contribute to a more effective healthcare system and improve access to quality pharmaceutical services.

Another important area of discussion was the need to promote stronger public-private partnerships.

Collaboration between government, local pharmaceutical manufacturers, investors and professional associations could help mobilise the resources and expertise required to expand production and modernise the industry.

Such partnerships could also support investment in pharmaceutical infrastructure, technology, research and development, while creating opportunities for Ghanaian businesses to participate more actively in the regional medicines market.

The engagement reflects the importance of consulting industry professionals when developing policies intended to address challenges within specialised sectors of the economy.

The Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, as a professional body representing pharmacists, is positioned to provide practical recommendations on issues affecting medicine production, distribution, regulation and pharmaceutical practice.

Dr. Bawumia’s visit provided an opportunity for the NPP presidential candidate to hear directly from the society’s leadership about the measures they believe could help unlock the sector’s potential and make Ghana more competitive in pharmaceutical production.

Making Ghana West Africa’s leading pharmaceutical hub would require sustained investment, effective regulation, strong local manufacturing capacity and policies that encourage private-sector participation.

Addressing these areas could help the country strengthen its pharmaceutical value chain and improve its ability to meet growing healthcare needs.

The meeting forms part of Dr. Bawumia’s continuing stakeholder engagements, through which he is seeking perspectives from professional groups and industry leaders on issues affecting the country.

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