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Ministry of Health to host Ghana Vaccine Manufacturing Forum
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The Ministry of Health has announced that it will host the Ghana Vaccine Manufacturing Forum on Wednesday, August 6, 2025, at the Kempinski Hotel Gold Coast City in Accra.
According to a press statement issued on August 4, the forum is being organised in collaboration with the National Vaccine Institute (NVI) and the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre (GIPC).
It will focus on mobilising sustainable financing to support vaccine development and manufacturing in Ghana.
The statement said the theme for the forum is “Mobilising Sustainable Financing to Accelerate Vaccine Development and Manufacturing in Ghana: The Role of Financing Institutions and Development Partners.”
The Ministry disclosed that the Special Guest of Honour will be His Excellency John Dramani Mahama, while the Minister for Health, Hon. Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, will serve as the Guest of Honour.
The statement highlighted that the forum will bring together government agencies, financial institutions, investors, pharmaceutical manufacturers, development partners, and research institutions to explore innovative financing strategies to advance Ghana’s vaccine production goals.
It added that although Ghana has made progress in health regulation, research, and local pharmaceutical manufacturing, access to financing remains a major challenge.
The forum aims to attract investment to bridge the estimated US$2.5 billion funding gap required to establish a complete vaccine manufacturing ecosystem.
The Ministry noted that development partners such as GIZ and the World Bank have been supporting Ghana’s self-sufficiency drive in pharmaceutical and vaccine manufacturing since 2021.
It also mentioned that GIZ, on behalf of the German Development Ministry and the European Union, is implementing a programme called PharmaVax Ghana, which aligns with the goals of the National Vaccine Institute.
The statement further revealed that local pharmaceutical firms like Atlantic Lifesciences Ltd and DEK Vaccines Ltd have signed agreements with global partners for technology transfer and vaccine fill-and-finish operations in Ghana.
Key objectives of the forum, as outlined in the statement, include: facilitating dialogue among public and private sector stakeholders; exploring blended financing and Public-Private Partnerships (PPPs); identifying policy and regulatory measures to attract long-term investments; and generating concrete proposals and partnerships to support vaccine self-sufficiency.
The Ministry stated that the event will be held in a hybrid format to allow broad participation from both local and international stakeholders.
It concluded by encouraging all relevant stakeholders and development partners to take part in the discussions and help secure the financial resources needed to protect lives, drive innovation, and build a stronger, more resilient Ghana.
The Office of the Special Prosecutor (OSP) has taken note of public allegations of extortion and related conduct made against the Minority Leader of Parliament, Alexander Afenyo-Markin.
The allegations were made by the Chief Executive of the Ghana Gold Board (GoldBod), Sammy Gyamfi.
In a brief statement, the OSP said it has also received a joint petition submitted by two persons, as well as two separate petitions from other persons, in relation to the same allegations.
“Given the nature of the allegations, the OSP will assess the case and determine whether it falls within its statutory mandate and whether further investigative action is warranted,” the statement said.
The development comes amid a heated public feud between the Minority in Parliament and the leadership of GoldBod over the operations of the Domestic Gold Purchase Programme.
The Minority, led by Afenyo-Markin, has accused GoldBod and the Bank of Ghana of causing a loss of over $1.7 billion, citing the International Monetary Fund’s August 2026 report. The Minority has vowed to pursue the matter as Parliament has reconvened for an emergency sitting.
GoldBod, on the other hand, has rejected claims by some NPP MPs, including Tano South MP Dr Gideon Boako, that it owes the Bank of Ghana GH¢1 billion in overdrafts, describing the claim as “false and malicious.”
In the latest twist, GoldBod CEO Sammy Gyamfi has accused the Minority Leader of extortion and related conduct, an allegation that has triggered petitions to the OSP.
The OSP is mandated under Act 959 to investigate and prosecute specific cases of alleged or suspected corruption and corruption-related offences involving public officers and politically exposed persons.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
General Secretary of the New Patriotic Party (NPP), Justin Kodua Frimpong, has filed his nomination to contest the position of General Secretary again as the party begins its rebuilding efforts ahead of the 2028 general elections.
He was accompanied by party stalwarts and supporters who were in high spirits, expressing confidence that he is the right person to hold the position.
Speaking after filing his nomination, Mr Kodua Frimpong assured the rank and file of the party that he would not disappoint them.
“I can assure you that the faith the rank and file of the party have had in me, I will never disappoint them,” he said.
He also pledged to run a clean campaign devoid of personal attacks.
“I can assure you that our internal campaign will be devoid of personal attacks,” he told his fellow contestants and the rank and file of the party as he seeks to retain his position.
His tenure has seen the party through the 2024 general elections, where the NPP lost power to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) after eight years in government.
The party is currently in a rebuilding phase, with internal elections scheduled to elect new national executives to lead its reorganization towards the 2028 polls.
The General Secretary position is considered one of the most influential in the party’s administrative structure, responsible for the day-to-day running of the party secretariat and implementation of party decisions.
By Edem Mensah-Tsotorme
