The Supreme Court has upheld the FDA's prohibition on celebrities endorsing alcoholic beverages, concluding a widely publicized 19-month legal battle initiated by Mark Darlington Osae, CEO of Black Kulcha Music. Chief Justice delivered a brief ruling today, affirming that the FDA's directive aligns with the constitution. Consequently, well-known figures are permanently barred from appearing in ads promoting alcoholic drinks. The FDA introduced this restriction in 2015 to regulate alcohol consumption among Ghanaians, citing concerns that celebrity influence could encourage underage drinking. Osae contested the directive, arguing it violated constitutional rights. Various figures from the creative industry, including Wendy Shay, Shatta Wale, Brother Sammy, Kuami Eugene, and Camidoh, have criticized the measure.
Recently, the FDA expressed alarm over rising shisha use among high school students in the Ashanti Region, noting an uptick in other drug abuses among youth, posing significant risks to their future. Additionally, teenage pregnancy has been flagged as a growing issue exacerbated by financial hardships, according to Priscilla Christabel Eshun, Central Regional Girls Education Officer, who emphasized the FDA's prohibition on tattooing and skin bleaching in its Code of Conduct for pre-tertiary students.
Story: Amegashie Walter Edem (Khlasic)