Vice President Professor Naana Jane Opoku-Agyemang has reaffirmed the government’s commitment to deepening its partnership with Softcare Manufacturing Company, describing the firm as a strategic domestic player within Ghana’s industrial reset agenda.

Speaking at the commissioning of Softcare’s new sanitary pads production line on Monday, 15th December 2025, the Vice President praised the company’s sustained growth over the past 15 years, noting that it exemplifies how a capable private sector can thrive within a predictable and business-friendly policy environment.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang commended Softcare for evolving from a necessity-driven idea into a nationally recognised manufacturer, creating thousands of jobs and producing high-quality sanitary pads that proudly carry the “Made in Ghana” label.

She observed that the company’s products have gained acceptance beyond Ghana’s borders, particularly across West Africa and parts of Asia, reinforcing national pride and export confidence.

“The government of His Excellency President John Dramani Mahama remains committed to the systematic transformation of Ghana’s economy,” the Vice President said.

“The Ghana Framework for Industrialisation and Transformation is a key mechanism in this effort, and today’s commissioning demonstrates that the strategy is yielding tangible results. The partnership with Softcare shows what is possible when a responsive private sector aligns with a stable and supportive policy environment,” she added.

With the introduction of the new production lines, Softcare is expected to strengthen domestic supply while expanding its export footprint. The Vice President indicated that the sanitary pads industry has been identified as a high-potential sector under the Accelerated Export Development Programme, as Ghana seeks to diversify its export base.

She stressed the need for Africa to move beyond the export of raw materials, arguing that value addition and processing are essential to expanding the continent’s share of global trade. “This is how we create sustainable employment, build local ownership, and anchor development on capital and technology that support long-term transformation,” she noted.

Professor Opoku-Agyemang also applauded Softcare’s investments in schools and hospitals, adding that further opportunities exist for the company under the government’s Free Sanitary Pads Programme for schoolgirls.

Chairman of Softcare, Mr Y. C. Shen, lauded the government’s policy direction and described it as instrumental to Ghana’s economic development.

He said Softcare’s operations are fully aligned with the government’s 24-Hour Economy Initiative, with the new production line enhancing efficiency and generating additional local employment.

As the largest producer of sanitary pads and baby diapers in Africa, Mr Shen said Softcare was honoured to contribute to the Free Sanitary Pads Programme, which promotes education, gender equality and public health.

He urged regulators and stakeholders to continue fostering a transparent and level playing field, describing such an environment as critical to attracting investment and ensuring inclusive growth.

Softcare’s journey began in 2009 with the trading of hygiene products. Over the years, it has grown into a leading multinational hygiene products company, engaged in the development, manufacturing and sale of baby and feminine hygiene products, including diapers, sanitary pads and wet wipes, with a focus on fast-growing emerging markets in Africa and Latin America.

In Ghana, Softcare entered the market in 2009 with the launch of its baby diapers, marking its first foray into Africa. Since then, Softcare Ghana has maintained a leading position in both the baby diaper and sanitary pads segments, contributing to Ghana’s industrialisation drive, strengthening national standards and positioning the country as a manufacturing hub in West Africa.

The company has also sustained a strong commitment to corporate social responsibility. In 2025, it rolled out several initiatives, including a Mother’s Day donation event at the Korle-Bu Teaching Hospital and a nationwide road safety education campaign.

Following the launch of Ghana’s Free Sanitary Pads Programme in April 2025, Softcare joined the initiative as a major local supplier, supporting efforts to provide free sanitary pads to more than two million schoolgirls in public basic and secondary schools.

Through this intervention, the company aims to address period poverty, reduce school absenteeism and promote menstrual hygiene and dignity nationwide.

These efforts have earned Softcare significant national recognition. In 2023, the company secured membership of the National Technical Committee on Medical Devices under the Ghana Standards Authority.

In 2024, it was ranked first in the manufacturing sector at the 21st edition of the Ghana Club 100 Awards by the Ghana Investment Promotion Centre. In 2025, Softcare received multiple honours at the Ghana–West Africa Business Excellence Awards, including Consumer Products Company of the Year, Overall Best Industrial Company of the Year, and Best Corporate Social Responsibility Company of the Year at the Association of Ghana Industries and Quality Awards.

Softcare says it remains committed to working closely with government to ensure its products meet the highest standards of safety, quality and sustainability, while maintaining deep engagement with local communities through impactful and responsible corporate citizenship.