The 2021 Entrance Month has been launched in Accra with a call on all Ghanaians to patronise products from the Entrance Pharmaceuticals and Research Centre.
The Entrance Month, which is usually commemorated in June every year, focuses on the creation of awareness on the quality and affordable products by the Entrance Pharmaceuticals Company and Research Centre.
Present at the event was the Greater Accra Regional Minister, Mr Henry Quartey, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, Member of Parliament (MP) for Juaboso Constituency, Dr Kurt Nawaane, MP for Nabdam Constituency, Mr Alexander Hottordze, MP for Central Tongu Constituency and Elizabeth Ofosu-Agyare, MP for Techiman North Constituency.
Others are Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie, MP for Effiduase Asokore and Chairman for the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health, Dr Boachie Yiadom, MP for Obuasi East, Mr Collins Adomako, MP for Kwabre South, Mr Akwasi Konadu, MP for Manhyia North, Mr Alex Agyare, MP for Kade Constituency.
Wife of the Executive Chairman of the Tobinco Group of Companies, Mrs Araba Sika Tobbin, family, friends, customers of the Group, the Heads of all the subsidiaries of the Tobinco Group of Companies and staff were also present to support the event.
The Greater Accra Minister commended the Tobinco Boss and the Entrance Pharmaceuticals Company and Research Centre for helping to tackle the unemployment issue in the country.
“I am reliably informed that this factory currently employs over 800 staff and produces more than 100 different kinds of medication for the Ghanaian public and the sub region. I am also told that, the Tobinco Group offers direct employment to over 3,500 Ghanaians and some expatriate staff as well as countless others in indirect employment. This is highly commendable as it has contributed in improving the unemployment situation in the country,” he said.
The Minister added that,” Undoubtedly, the Tobinco Group has proved that local entrepreneurs have the capacity and the tenacity to also expand and grow in the face of the keen competition in the manufacturing sector.”
He congratulated the Tobinco Boss for the range of Tobinco products on the Ghanaian market as well as the sub region.
“It is gratifying to note that, one of the star products from this factory is its brands of Arthemether Lumefantrine range (LUFART) which is a household name in Ghanaian homes for the treatment of uncomplicated malaria,” he said.
The Minister expressed hope that the Tobinco Group and the Entrance factory will be ready should the opportunity for manufacturing know-how and cooperation from tried and tested COVID-19 producers be fully shared to enable him produce the vaccines locally.
He urged all Ghanaians, especially hospitals and pharmacies as well as wholesalers to patronise made in Ghana pharmaceutical products.
“Government on its part will continue to deliberately pursue policies and programs aimed at helping indigenous Ghanaian companies such as Entrance Pharmaceuticals and Research Centre to expand its operations, to become a force to reckon with in the pharmaceutical industry in the sub region to help grow the economy and offer job opportunities to our young graduates,” he added.
Speaking at the event, the Executive Chairman of the Tobinco Group of Companies, Elder Nana Amo Tobbin I, urged Ghanaians to patronise locally manufactured products, especially medicines produced by the Entrance Pharmaceuticals and Research Centre.
He called on the government, and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to add anti-malaria medicines to the list of drugs that have been banned from being imported.
Nana Amo Tobbin I, appealed to the President of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo to select a number of pharmaceutical companies in the country, irrespective of their political affiliations, groom them and support them to meet the needs of the international markets.
He also called on the President to link owners of the local pharmaceutical companies to the rest of the African Countries, especially the Presidents of the West African countries in order to do business with them.
Nana Amo Tobbin I called on the Parliamentary Select Committee on Health to advocate on the medicines that have been banned from being imported by the FDA so that anti-malaria medicines can also be added to the list.
For his part, Dr Nana Ayew Afriyie also commended Entrance Pharmaceuticals Company and Research Centre for producing quality products, especially the Lufart, which is an anti-malaria product.
He said the Committee was going to invite the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana to deliberate on the request made by the Tobinco Boss moving forward and address his request.
Meanwhile, the Managing Director of the Entrance Pharmaceuticals and Research Centre, Mr Kwadwo Asare Twerefour said the company is committed to its motto, ‘Quality is Premium’, by instilling quality into every process and stage in the operations of the company.
Ghana| Atinkaonline.com| Porcia Oforiwaa Ofori
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