Ghanaian movie director Frank Garbin has expressed his disagreement with the law that prohibits celebrities from advertising alcoholic beverages in the country.
He considers the law to be detrimental to the earnings of those involved.
Speaking as a guest on the May 11, 2024, edition of the United Showbiz on UTV, Frank Garbin stated that he does not believe celebrities should be blamed if a child consumes alcoholic drinks. Instead, he suggests that such issues should be addressed at home and by those who sell alcohol.
“It is unfortunate because I keep asking what measures have been put in place to check the people who sell alcohol. In this modern world, no one tells a child what to do, and as such, it's written on these alcoholic bottles that they should not be sold to persons under 18 years and those who drink should do so responsibly.
“…For me, it’s a very obnoxious law and it is detrimental to the pockets of these stars. So, let's find a way to curb the methods by which alcohol reaches children rather than focusing on who's endorsing it because it's a business that someone is also conducting to provide for their family," he told show host, MzGee.
Frank further advised that there should be the implementation of strict measures to verify the ages of persons before alcohol is sold to them.
“As for me, the whole thing, I believe, starts from our environment, the immediate environment in which we live; our parents, neighbours, those with whom these children play with, the influence they have on those children. So, it's about time we implement strict measures that will prevent those who sell alcohol from selling to persons who are not 18 years old because I believe that will reduce the influence more than banning stars from endorsing. Because if a star does not endorse, a different person is going to endorse," he stated during his submissions.
Meanwhile, the Supreme Court of Ghana has adjourned its judgement on a landmark case concerning the ban on celebrity endorsements in alcoholic beverage advertisements.
No new date has been announced.
Background
In 2015, the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) implemented a ban on celebrities from endorsing alcoholic beverages, in line with a World Health Organization (WHO) policy aimed at protecting minors from alcoholism.
The controversy resurfaced in 2020 when artiste Wendy Shay publicly criticised the FDA and the Gaming Commission of Ghana for the ban, claiming it deprived celebrities of potential earnings.
Shay urged her peers to oppose the policy, asserting that it was detrimental to their financial well-being.
The FDA maintained that their directive was not intended to impede celebrities' income but to safeguard children.
In 2022, the issue escalated to the Supreme Court.
Music publisher Mark Darlington Osae, who also chairs the Ghana Music Alliance, challenged the FDA's regulations, arguing that they discriminated based on economic status and occupation, among other factors and violated articles 17(1) and 17(2) of the 1992 Constitution.
Prominent figures in the music industry, including Shatta Wale, Brother Sammy, Kuami Eugene, and Camidoh, have voiced opposition to the law, advocating for its repeal before Mark Darlington's legal action.
Watch his submissions here:
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