Stock taking services in Ghana: what a proper count should cost you

What actually drives the cost of a stock count in Ghana

Price is rarely about floor area. It is driven by the number of distinct SKUs, how accessible the stock is, whether batch and expiry data must be captured, and how many locations need a synchronised cut-off.

A single Accra pharmacy with 3,000 lines is a one-night job. A Tema distribution warehouse with palletised bulk, mixed pack sizes and 12,000 lines is a multi-day engagement with a larger team.

• Number of active SKUs and batches
• Accessibility: shelved, racked or stacked bulk
• Number of branches counted under one cut-off
• Whether the item master needs cleanup first

Batch and expiry is not optional for pharmaceutical stock

For importers, wholesalers and pharmacy chains, a count that captures only quantities misses the risk that matters. Near-expiry stock is a cash loss waiting to happen and needs to be visible months in advance.

We capture batch number and expiry date wherever they exist on the pack, then produce a schedule of expired and near-expiry lines with recommended action.

The three mistakes that make a Ghanaian count worthless

First, counting while trading continues with no documented cut-off. Second, letting the same staff who manage the stock count it unsupervised. Third, producing a count with no follow-up system, so the numbers drift again within a quarter.

What you should receive at the end

Insist on a counted quantity per SKU per location, a valued variance register, an expiry schedule, a clean item master and an opening balance file you can load into software. Anything less is a headcount, not an inventory reset.