Ernest Chemists Limited has launched its 40th-anniversary celebrations to mark four decades of providing quality and affordable medicines in the country. 

The anniversary launch featured the unveiling of a new logo, symbolising the company's vision for the future, and expansion to other countries in West Africa, including Nigeria, Sierra Leone, Liberia and The Gambia.

The event, held in Accra last Friday (February 6, 2026), was attended by key stakeholders such as the Board of the Company, the Ministry of Health (MoH), Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Pharmacy Council, Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), Pharmaceutical Society of Ghana, Chamber of Pharmacy and the Pharmaceutical Manufacturers Association of Ghana.

The anniversary was on the theme: “40 Years of Providing Quality and Affordable Medicines”.

The Ghanaian-owned pharmaceutical company commenced operations in 1986 as a sole proprietorship, and later grew into a limited liability company in 1993 under the leadership of its founder Ernest Bediako Sampong, a pharmacist.

The company boasts three main divisions, namely manufacturing, wholesaling and retailing, and exports, also more than 50 wholesale and retail outlets, across Ghana and West Africa.

Contribution to national development

Speaking at the event, the Chief Executive Officer (CEO) of Ernest Chemist Ltd, Adjoa Akyema Sampong, underscored the company’s contribution to national development of the last four decades.

“As a wholly Ghanaian-owned company, our contribution to national development spans several sectors. One of our most significant impacts has been in job creation, providing direct employment to over 1,500 Ghanaians,” she said.

Ms Sampong indicated that the company’s commitment to local content was also evident in its supply chain, where it deliberately engaged local suppliers whenever possible, thereby supporting Ghanaian businesses and strengthening the local economy.

As part of the celebration, she added that the company would commission a state-of-the-art Good Manufacturing Practices (GMP) factory, the first of its kind in the country.

This facility, according to her would significantly enhance healthcare across the country and beyond, enabling faster and more efficient access to quality medicines.

The CEO reaffirmed the company's commitment to expanding access to quality medicines, leveraging cutting-edge technology to boost production and distribution

Vision

On the future of the company, she said the company intended to deepen its international outlook to align with the founder's vision.

“To achieve this, we are boosting production and distribution capacities with cutting-edge technology; creating jobs and opportunities for Ghanaians; bridging academia-industry gaps through Research and Development, among others,” she stated.

He assured Ghanaians that the years ahead would usher in an even more defining era for Ernest Chemists Ltd.

Commendation, government plans

The Director of External Health Cooperation at the Technical Coordinating Department of the MoH, Dr Hafez Adam Taher, in an address on behalf of the Minister of Health, Kwabena Mintah Akandoh, commended the company for the vision and staying the course despite the many difficulties that the industry was facing.

“The action demonstrated by the founder gives Ghana hope that, with the right leadership and perseverance, we can be among the best in the global community. Ernest Chemists Ltd's pharmaceutical products are renowned beyond Ghana's borders for their effectiveness and adherence to international standards,” he said.

The minister said the government, in recognition of the significant potential of enterprises such as Ernest Chemists, was developing meticulously considered policies aimed at fostering the growth and advancement of the industry for the collective benefit of all stakeholders.

Mr Akandoh stressed that in August last year, he engaged some key pharmaceutical companies in a strategic meeting aimed at strengthening the country's pharmaceutical industry on discussions surrounding the possibility of expanding production capacity, improving quality standards, and expanding access to essential medicines.

He added that the government remained highly committed to supporting local pharmaceutical manufacturers like “Ernest Chemists to produce not only for the local market but for export to reduce the country's reliance on imported medicines and boost foreign exchange flow into the country's economy as well as providing jobs for Ghanaians”.