Accra: The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) has reported a significant financial surplus of GHS70 million for the year 2025, while also highlighting concerns regarding outdated laboratory equipment and the influx of illicit products impacting public health.
According to Ghana News Agency, Mr. Samuel Adom-Siaw, the Deputy Director of Finance, presented the audited financial report during the 2025 FDA Annual Stakeholders' Meeting held in Accra. The surplus marks a 51 percent increase from GHS46 million in 2024, with total assets rising from GHS296 million to GHS358 million. Liabilities also saw a decline, reducing from GHS12 million to GHS3.4 million.
Mr. Adom-Siaw detailed that the FDA's total revenue reached GHS420 million, comprised of GHS278 million from internally generated funds (IGF), GHS78 million from donor inflows, and GHS63 million from Government of Ghana subsidies. Internally generated funds accounted for 66 percent of the total revenue, donor contributions made up 19 percent, and government subsidies contributed 15 percent. Despite increased staff compensation and operational demands, expenditure saw only a marginal increase from GHS266 million in 2024 to GHS267 million in 2025.
However, Mr. Adom-Siaw noted a shortfall in IGF, with only GHS278 million realised against a projected GHS374 million, attributing the deficit mainly to exchange-rate fluctuations. The Authority aims to continue prudent expenditure management, bolster revenue mobilisation, and periodically assess its fee structure in collaboration with stakeholders.
Operationally, Mr. Joseph Ofosu-Siaw, Quality Assurance Manager, revealed that the FDA processed 24,225 out of 24,446 product applications in 2025, granting 20,205 approvals. Facility inspections totalled 15,457, and consignments inspected at ports increased by 21.7 percent to 47,189 from the previous year. The FDA's operations spanned 11 of Ghana's 16 regions and 11 of 32 border posts, with plans for nationwide expansion. Notably, 62 percent of regulated products registered in 2025 were locally produced, a significant rise from 33 percent in 2024.
Market surveillance remained a priority, with 2,250 exercises conducted and 24,755 retail outlets visited. The Authority retrieved 215,876 non-compliant products, trained 8,693 street food vendors, and issued 1,369 permits under the street food safety programme. The Take Back Unwanted Medicines initiative collected 2,520 unwanted medicines, and 3,089 individual safety reports were submitted to the World Health Organisation's global database.
Despite receiving 7,551 samples for laboratory testing-a 76 percent increase from 2024-the FDA achieved 77 percent testing coverage, falling short of its 85 percent target. Mr. Ofosu-Siaw expressed concerns over laboratory equipment aged between eight to 20 years, posing maintenance challenges, especially in 24/7 operations. He appealed for stakeholder and development partner support to enhance the Authority's testing capabilities with modern equipment.
Mrs. Perpetual Vicentia Yankson, Director of Legal Services, reported that the FDA issued approximately 80 warnings and 233 administrative fines in 2025 for various regulatory breaches, including unapproved advertisements, the sale of unregistered products, pharmaceutical recalls, unlicensed cold-storage facilities, and illicit tobacco activities. She stressed the need for prior FDA approval for adverts of regulated products and warned businesses against non-compliant activities per the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851).
The FDA's public education campaigns reached over 12 million people in 2025, focusing on tobacco use, drug safety, and food safety. Management committed to intensifying intelligence-led enforcement, risk-based surveillance, and strengthening partnerships with the Customs Division of the Ghana Revenue Authority and other institutions to combat illicit imports and unregistered products. The Authority reported a 77 percent implementation rate of its current five-year strategic plan, laying the groundwork for its next regulatory phase.