Pharmaceutical enclave to position country as hub in the offing

Efforts to make the country a pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in West Africa is gaining impetus following steps by the National Chamber of Pharmacy to establish an enclave and Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) to provide a one-stop-shop for the industry.

The enclave is being established with a GH¢3,327,750 grant (£450,000) from the Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) – formerly DFID and is expected to assist local drug producers to bridge the gaps in production created due to vulnerabilities in supply chains caused by the Coronavirus pandemic.

“The fund is supporting the Chamber in the establishment of the pharmaceutical enclave and a Special Purpose Vehicle (SPV) which will position Ghana as a pharmaceutical manufacturing hub in West Africa. This is indeed a very important support that the British government, through FCDO, must be applauded for,” said Harrison K. Abutiate, the Chamber’s Chairman.

Mr. Abutiate made this known during the launch of the Chamber’s five-year strategic plan and swearing-in of a new National Executive Council in Accra and said the intervention has significantly mitigated the impact of COVID-19 on the sector which has a critical role in providing lifesaving supplies for the sector.

Through the FCDO support, he said ultra-modern ICT equipment including video conferencing facilities relating to administering the grant and other advocacy efforts in line with COVID-19 social distancing protocols have been procured.

Meanwhile, he said the Chamber of Pharmacy was currently collaborating with the British, Israeli, Indian, Colombian, German and the United States governments through their embassies in Ghana to promote pharma businesses with the ultimate aim of joint ventures to manufacture pharmaceutical products in Ghana, technological transfer and capacity building.

As a result, he revealed that the Chamber had entered into a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) with LMI Holding Ltd the managers of Dawa Industrial Enclave for the establishment of a one-stop-shop pharma pack and the SPV.

“I must state that a dedicated ultramodern 330kV substation, one of the largest in West Africa is already built within the enclave with access to ultra-fast fiber broadband internet and data facilities. The Railway branch line from the Tema-Akosombo line is currently under construction. This will facilitate the movement of goods to and from the Tema Harbour, and the Volta Lake Transport System. Asphalted or paved block roads and other drainage systems are ongoing,” he added.

He further hinted that the Chamber envisioned having at least 15 pharmaceutical companies established in the enclave in the next fives years and that the road to and from the enclave will be dualized to completely eliminate the current heavy traffic at this part of the Accra to Sogakope road.