A coalition of civil society organizations (CSOs), led by the Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development, Ghana (VAST-Ghana), has released a comprehensive 2026 shadow report revealing significant deficiencies in the nation’s adherence to the WHO Framework Convention on Tobacco Control (FCTC).
In a formal statement, Labram Musah, Executive Director of VAST-Ghana, raised an alarm regarding the persistent risk of tobacco industry interference in public health policy-making. Despite the existence of a National Tobacco Control Strategy, the report highlights the absence of a public repository to track the industry’s lobbying efforts, noting that interactions between government entities and tobacco interests are frequently conducted without public notice.
“There is no publicly accessible government repository detailing the activities or lobbying efforts of the tobacco industry,” the report notes
These clandestine meetings constitute a direct violation of Article 5.3 of the FCTC, prompting the coalition to demand the creation of a transparent registry and a strict code of conduct for all public officials.
The report further identifies alarming contradictions within Ghana’s fiscal policies, particularly concerning tobacco taxation and product legality. While the Excise Duty (Amendment) Act of 2023 successfully doubled tobacco tax revenue, the CSOs criticized the shift to a hybrid tax system that slashed the ad valorem rate from 175% to a mere 50%.
This structural change, coupled with a failure to adjust tax rates for inflation, has effectively made tobacco products more affordable over time. Most notably, the report flags a legal paradox where the government continues to collect excise taxes on electronic cigarettes even though the products remain banned under the Public Health Act of 2012.
To resolve these issues, the coalition is calling for the removal of taxes on banned products, the implementation of automatic inflation indexing, and the closure of duty-free import loopholes.
Public health protections also appear to be faltering on the ground due to inconsistent enforcement. The shadow report indicates that weak oversight of the Public Health Act 2012 allows smoking to persist in hospitality and entertainment venues, exposing the public to dangerous second-hand smoke. VAST-Ghana advocates for a transition toward a 100% smoke-free policy with heightened monitoring in workplaces and public transport. Additionally, the report points to regulatory failures in labeling, specifically regarding “shisha.” While pictorial health warnings are required for traditional cigarettes, shisha products often bypass these laws because warnings are placed only on outer packaging that retailers easily remove. The CSOs are pushing for mandatory warnings on every layer of packaging and the adoption of standardized plain packaging—stripping away all logos and branding—to mirror successful models in Mauritius and Côte d’Ivoire.
The digital frontier remains another unaddressed battleground, as the report notes a total lack of regulation regarding tobacco promotion by social media influencers and within entertainment media. To combat this, the coalition recommends the establishment of dedicated regulatory units to monitor digital advertising and improve cross-border cooperation.
These gaps carry heavy consequences, as tobacco use remains a primary driver of Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs) such as cardiovascular disease, cancer, and diabetes, which collectively place an immense strain on Ghana’s national healthcare system.
“We call on our international partners and the WHO to support Ghana in bridging the gap between its commitments and its conduct,” Mr Musa stated.
In its conclusion, VAST-Ghana urged the government, Parliament, and the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to treat the findings as a constructive roadmap for reform, stressing that the time has come to move beyond laws that exist only “on paper” toward active, evidence-based enforcement.