The Alcohol Policy Alliance-Ghana (GhanaAPA) and the West Africa Alcohol Policy Alliance (WAAPA) has commended the Supreme Court for upholding the Food and Drugs Authority’s (FDA) ban of celebrities/iconic persons on advertisement of alcohol products in Ghana.
They expressed their unflinching support to FDA’s steadfastness in sanding up to the bullying tactics of the big alcohol industry and allies for enacting the guidelines and putting maximum effort in defending the guidelines before the court.
This was in a statement jointly signed by Alhaji Sulley Sumani, National Coordinator, GhanAPA, and Madam Debora Sewoenam Agboado, programme Officer, WAAPA and copied to the Ghana News Agency on Monday.
They urged the FDA to build on this momentum and continue to prioritize the protection of consumers and vulnerable groups.
“We also call on celebrities in the entertainment industry and other fields to use their influence on champion public health and non-communicable diseases (NCDs), rather than promoting harmful products and interests driven by personal gain,” the statement said.
It also urged the Technical Working Group to seize this opportunity to develop stronger alcohol legislation for Ghana, aligning with international best practices and prioritizing the health and well-being of citizens over profit and commercial interest.
The statement said the landmark ruling for health promotion was for the benefit of the children, young persons who accept and follow blindly the so-called celebrities without being able to judge the hidden intentions of the alcohol industry.
“This decision sets a precedent for prioritizing public health over commercial interests. We urge stakeholders to continue to advocate policies and practices that prioritize the health and well-being of Ghana’s population,” it stated.
The statement said the ruling was a victory for all well-meaning Ghanaians and institutions, state-own and civil society organisations while congratulating the Ministry of Health and the Ghana Health Service for a battle well fought.
“Our efforts are not discriminatory to destroy the income for advertisers but to protect children and young persons from alcohol harm including death,” it said.
