Augustus Goosie Tanoh proposes 2,000-acre Legon Pharmaceutical Innovation Park

Presidential Adviser Augustus Goosie Tanoh has called for the establishment of a 2,000-acre Legon Pharmaceutical Innovation Park to centralize the domestic production of active pharmaceutical ingredients (APIs). Speaking at the Africa Bio Conference on October 27, Tanoh underscored the urgent need for Ghana to build local manufacturing capacity to secure its healthcare sovereignty. This initiative is designed to reduce the country’s heavy reliance on international markets for essential medical supplies.

Currently, Ghana imports approximately 70% of its finished medicines. Even for products manufactured within the country, local pharmaceutical firms remain almost entirely dependent on foreign suppliers for the raw materials and active ingredients required for production. Tanoh argued that fostering a domestic industry for API manufacturing and research is the only way to insulate the national health system from global supply chain disruptions and price volatility.

The proposed innovation park aims to bridge the gap between academic research and commercialization by providing a dedicated hub for researchers, investors, and regulators. Tanoh emphasized that such collaboration is critical to ensuring that locally manufactured drugs meet international safety and quality standards. He specifically identified treatments for non-communicable diseases, including diabetes, as priority areas for local production due to their growing prevalence and the high cost of imported alternatives.

Despite the ambitious vision, the Presidential Adviser acknowledged that the biotechnology sector faces significant hurdles, including inadequate infrastructure and a lack of sustained funding. These challenges have historically limited the ability of local innovators to bring their products to market. By creating a specialized biotechnology hub, the government intends to facilitate the development and commercialization of new technologies locally, ensuring that Ghana can provide for its own healthcare needs while boosting the domestic economy.