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| (Nacee) |
Gospel musician Nacee expressed his disagreement with the decision made by the Food and Drugs Authority to ban Ghanaian celebrities from promoting alcoholic products.
During an appearance on United Showbiz on Saturday, November 18, 2023, Nacee questioned the logic behind allowing foreigners to advertise such products while imposing restrictions on local celebrities. As a musician and music producer, Nacee emphasized that even lesser-known individuals could eventually become celebrities if they are allowed to advertise, making the ban on celebrities ineffective in the long run.
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He pointed out that continuous promotion of individuals through ads could lead to their rise in popularity, citing the example of Michael Power becoming well-known through Guinness commercials. Nacee also criticized the discriminatory nature of the ban, stating that it favored foreign celebrities over local ones and urged for a fair approach to regulation.
“It is surprising that we won’t let our local celebs advertise but our foreign counterparts are allowed to. It is good to regulate whatever we do, but it should not be discriminatory. We love foreigners more than ourselves… it doesn’t make sense. Let’s stop starving ourselves while giving foreigners the juicy deals.” he stated.
The FDA implemented the ban in 2015, citing adherence to World Health Organisation policy and the protection of children from alcoholism. Despite backlash and calls for change, Kofi Essel of the FDA stated that the ban on popular figures endorsing alcoholic beverages would not be lifted due to the potential influence on underage followers.
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“Well-known persons have the potential to influence their followers who are not legally permitted to possess alcohol or use alcohol,” he argued. He went on to clarify that; “In view of that guidelines have been set to guide operations of alcoholic beverage companies, including advertisement of their products and this is the reason well-known persons are not allowed to endorse the products.”
In response to the ban, artist manager Mark Darlington Osae filed a lawsuit against the FDA and Attorney General, arguing that it violated the 1992 Constitution's provisions on equality before the law and discrimination based on occupation. The case has been adjourned until January 17, 2024.
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