News:
November 7, 2025
Dr. Samuel Amo Tobbin the Executive Chairman of Tobinco Pharmaceuticals limited has urged the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health to support efforts to strengthen Ghana’s pharmaceutical industry, particularly in addressing delays in payments of supplies made to some West African member states.
According to him he appreciates President John Dramani Mahama’s vision to make Ghana a pharmaceutical hub in the sub-region but raised concern about delayed payments by sub-regional states which is affecting the industry.
“When we supply to most of our neighboring countries, the payments do not come. The payment delays. Burkina, Mali, Senegal, Ivory Coast, Liberia, Togo, Benin, Gambia — they are all owing us; they owe us a lot of money,” he said.
He appealed to the Committee to relay his plea to the President. “When you go, lend our sincere gratitude to him and extend our plea that if he has connections, he should talk to the other presidents. We need intervention.” 
Dr. Tobbin thanked the Committee for their visit as it serves as a motivation for the institute to continue with progress.
“Thank you very much. We appreciate your coming so much. I’m sure you will enjoy the place and appreciate what God has done through this form of communication,” he said.
The Parliamentary Select Committee on Health is on a nationwide oversight tour to assess progress in health education, pharmaceutical production, and local capacity enhancement.
Dr Amo Tobbin emphasised that the Tobinco Group’s significant investment in pharmaceuticals, health sciences, and education is driven by a desire to create local opportunities and reduce youth migration.
“We’ve invested in all this because of our love for our mother Ghana and for not letting our young ones travel abroad. Some pass through the desert and lose their lives,” he said. “So, we said, let us invest our resources into pharmaceuticals so we can give employment to our young ones.”
He acknowledged the support received from the government, particularly through EXIM Bank, which enabled the company’s transition from retail and wholesale to manufacturing.
That support, he said, really helped Tobinco transition from retail and wholesale to manufacturing.
Kwaku Sakyi-Danso/Ghanamps.com