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Stop using our brand to market substandard drugs …COA President warns
Prof Samuel Ato Duncan
The President General of COA Research and Manufacturing Company, producers of COA Mixture, Prof Samuel Ato Duncan has warned alternative drug producers to desist from using the COA brand to market their medicines.
Addressing the press on Tuesday, Prof. Duncan said there had been a worrying trend where some herbal medicine producers deceive the public by associating their product to the COA brand.
The development, he said, was an affront to the practice and threatened to seek legal action if they do not stop.
He added that, “the COA formula is unique and confidential. I am the only one with the formula and even my wife and children do not have; so there is nothing on the market like COA.”
“Those imitating the drug and presenting it as the same as COA are warned. We have consulted the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) and if it continues, the laws would catch up with them,” he added.
The company, he said, was committed to the wellbeing of Ghanaians and also complement government’s efforts of providing quality healthcare to citizens.
“The wellbeing of humanity is our priority, hence we try to give the best to the public and do not want any unwanted attention,” he stressed.
Since 2006, he mentioned that the company has not changed the prices of any of its three products currently on the market, the COA Mixture, COA Plus Mixture and COA MT.
“We have carefully and scientifically produced the mixtures with millions of dollars invested since we are interested in producing to meet international standard,” he added.
He said, the company was committed to price stability while prioritising the health of Ghanaians across the country.
COA Mixture, he reiterated, was mainly a supplement and immune booster which support the general well-being of people and does not cure diseases like, cancers, kidney diseases and HIV/AIDS as sometimes misconstrued.
“COA mixtures are not registered for cures. Their purpose is your well-being and not replace traditional medical treatment for serious illness,” he explained.
“Plant-based medicine is the future of healthcare and we are committed to making Ghana a global hub for alternative natural medicine,” he stated.
On her part, the First Deputy Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of COA, Princess Duncan also advised the public to be wary of substandard drugs paraded to be similar to COA.
“We have built our company with integrity and have a strong reputation when it comes to trust. We assure customers that we are working to address the issues and guarantee their safety,” she added.
By Michael D. Abayateye
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Prof Alidu Seidu files nomination for Tamale Central seat
The newly elected parliamentary candidate of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) for Tamale Central, Prof Alidu Seidu, has submitted his nomination forms to the Electoral Commission.
As of 10:00 a.m. today, he was the only person who had filed to contest the seat.
Nomination of candidates will close at the end of the day.
Associate Professor and Head of the Political Science Department at the University of Ghana Legon, Prof. Alidu Seidu won the National Democratic Congress (NDC) parliamentary primaries in the Tamale Central constituency with a landslide victory.
The elections, supervised by the party’s Elections and IT Directorate in the Northern Region, saw Prof. Seidu poll 840 votes out of the total valid ballots cast.
His closest contender, Lawyer Hanan Gundadow Abdul-Rahaman, secured 536 votes.
The other aspirants could not make significant gains, with Dr. Seidu Fiter obtaining 44 votes, Aliu Abdul-Hamid 23 votes, and the rest recording fewer than 10 votes each.
In all, 1,500 ballots were cast, with 6 ballots rejected and 7 spoilt ballots recorded.
The results were signed and declared by Dr. Arnold Mashud Abukari, NDC Northern Regional Director of Elections and IT.
The National Democratic Congress (NDC) held parliamentary primaries in Tamale Central to choose a candidate for the upcoming by-election following the death of the sitting Member of Parliament, Dr. Ibrahim Murtala Mohammed. Dr. Mohammed, who also served as Minister for Environment, Science, Technology and Innovation, tragically died in a military helicopter crash in the Adansi Akrofuom District on August 6, 2025, alongside seven others.
His passing left the Tamale Central seat vacant, as required by Ghana’s 1992 Constitution.
The Electoral Commission has scheduled the by-election for September 30, 2025. While the NDC moved quickly to open nominations and vet aspirants, the New Patriotic Party (NPP) announced it would not contest the seat, citing the need to respect the somber circumstances and promote national unity.
By: Jacob Aggrey
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Ghana to locally refine its gold starting October 2025 – Sammy Gyamfi
The Chief Executive Officer of the Ghana Gold Board, Sammy Gyamfi, has announced that plans are far advanced for the establishment of a state-owned gold refinery in the country.
Speaking at the 2025 Minerals and Mining Convention, Mr Gyamfi said the refinery will process locally mined gold into bullion instead of exporting it in its raw state.
According to him, it is unacceptable that Ghana, despite being a leading gold producer in Africa, continues to export raw gold known as dore.
He explained that the Gold Board, working with the Bank of Ghana and local refineries, will from October 2025 begin refining gold locally.
He also disclosed that an ultramodern assay laboratory will be built to ensure international standards in testing gold quality.
Mr Gyamfi noted that the refinery will be wholly state-owned and will help Ghana move away from raw mineral exports to value addition.
This, he said, will boost foreign exchange earnings, create jobs, and position Ghana as a hub for gold refining and jewellery production in Africa.
The CEO stressed that the project forms part of government’s strategy to ensure the country benefits fully from its natural resources and to transform the mining sector into a driver of economic growth.
By: Jacob Aggrey
