Concerns over the influence of tobacco companies on public policy have prompted renewed calls for stricter transparency and accountability measures in Ghana.
The Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development (VAST-Ghana) is urging the Ministry of Health Ghana to introduce enforceable guidelines that regulate how public officials engage with the tobacco industry.
The call is captured in the 2025 Tobacco Industry Interference Index Report, which highlights gaps in the implementation of existing laws designed to limit undue industry influence. Although the Tobacco Control Regulations 2016 provides a legal basis for regulating such interactions, the report notes that a comprehensive code of conduct has yet to be established.
VAST-Ghana is recommending that all public officials be required to disclose any interactions with tobacco companies, with such information made publicly accessible to ensure transparency and accountability in policymaking.
The organisation is also pushing for stricter disclosure requirements for the tobacco industry itself, including detailed reporting on market share, revenues, tax exemptions, and other benefits received from the state. According to the report, making such data publicly available would help expose potential areas of influence and inform policy decisions.
Additionally, the group is calling for a review of regional fiscal policies that may inadvertently favour the tobacco sector, particularly within the ECOWAS framework.
These recommendations align with Article 5.3 of the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control, which seeks to protect public health policies from commercial and vested interests of the tobacco industry.
Despite some progress, Ghana’s performance in tackling tobacco industry interference remains moderate. The country ranked 38th globally and 11th in Africa in the 2025 Global Tobacco Index, an assessment of how effectively nations are implementing measures under the convention.
The report underscores the need for Ghana to move beyond policy provisions to active enforcement, as stakeholders warn that without stronger safeguards, industry influence could undermine public health efforts.
