In a bold stance against the recent prohibition on celebrities endorsing alcoholic beverages in Ghana, renowned Ghanaian Movie Director, Frank Garbin has expressed his dissent, emphasizing the need for more comprehensive strategies to tackle underage drinking in the country.

The popular actor while expressing his dissent with the decision expressed his frustration with the regulatory focus on celebrity endorsements, arguing that such measures fail to address the root causes of underage alcohol consumption.

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.
Frank Garbin, Ghanaian Movie Director

He bemoaned the failure on the part of regulatory bodies in the country to take appropriate measures to check the people who sell alcohol, highlighting the inadequacies in regulating alcohol sales to minors.

Mr Garbin pointed out that modern societal dynamics render traditional methods of regulation ineffective.

He emphasized that in this modern world, no one tells a child what to do, underscoring the importance of government and regulatory bodies in the country taking proactive measures to counter the influence of alcohol.

The Movie Director also emphasized the pivotal role of familial and societal influences concerning underage alcohol consumption and further called for greater accountability among parents, neighbours, and peers in shaping children’s behaviours.

Call for Paradigm Shift

Furthermore, the renowned Movie Director called for a paradigm shift in the approach used by regulatory bodies in addressing the issue of underage alcohol consumption, advocating for stringent measures targeting alcohol retailers to prevent sales to minors.

He stressed that it’s about time regulatory bodies in the country implement strict measures that will prevent those who sell alcohol from selling to persons who are not 18 years old.

Here, Mr Garbin proposed a multi-faceted strategy encompassing regulatory enforcement and community engagement in addressing the sale of alcohol to minors

Mr Garbin while criticizing the efficacy of the celebrity endorsement ban, posited that the regulatory move merely shifts the focus to alternative promoters without addressing the underlying issue.

He noted that if a celebrity, be it a musician or an actor or actress does not endorse the sale of an alcoholic beverage, a different person is likely to endorse it, highlighting the need for holistic interventions to combat underage drinking effectively.

However, renowned Actor and Movie Producer, Kwadwo Nkansah, commonly referred to as LilWin, has expressed that the prohibition on celebrity endorsements of alcohol played a pivotal role in him embracing his Christian faith more earnestly.

The famous Kumahood actor while expressing disappointment over the decision by the Food and Drugs Authority noted that despite his initial reservations about the ban’s impact on his financial prospects, it prompted a shift in focus towards his spiritual journey.

Mr Nkansah, while narrating how the decision by the Food and Drugs Authority affected his partnership deal with Kasapreko, one of Ghana’s leading alcoholic beverage companies expressed his disappointment at the timing of the regulatory intervention.

He also added that his motivations behind signing a partnership deal with Kasapreko were merely not because of the monetary benefit attached to the deal but mainly due to his admiration for the company and personal connection to its founder.

In 2015, Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority banned celebrity endorsements of alcohol to protect minors from alcoholism, following WHO guidelines and in addition to protecting children.

In 2022, the issue reached the Supreme Court with Mark Darlington Osae, who also chairs the Ghana Music Alliance challenging the regulations, citing discrimination and constitutional violations.

Industry figures including Shatta Wale, Brother Sammy, Kuami Eugene, and Camidoh opposed the law before legal action was taken.