Reverend Joseph Bosomah, Acting Chairman of the Central Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana, recently expressed his concern about the excessive alcohol ads on television and radio. EUCAM’s 2010 research in Ghana supports these concerns.
The reverend appealed to government to act quickly, before it causes harm to the youth. The appeal was made when he addressed the 26th Presbytery Meeting of the Central Presbytery of the Presbyterian Church of Ghana (PCG) in Winneba.
Rev Bosomah pointed out that medical research had shown that many of the premature deaths among the youth today are caused by excessive alcohol consumption.
‘Those alcohol ads are doing more harm than good to the youth’ the reverend said, and continued that the earlier it was stopped the better.
Rev. Bosomah appealed to the National Media Commission to come out with a strategic plan that could check the advertisements of alcoholic beverages to ensure the safety of the youth.
In 2010 EUCAM was involved in the MAMPA project (Monitoring Alcohol Marketing in Africa), as such we also monitored alcohol marketing in Ghana. Our findings support the situation that Reverend Bosomah describes: The monitoring exercise shows that alcohol advertising is highly prevalent in Ghana. Both in mass media (television, radio, print) and on the streets alcohol marketing can be seen frequently. Connections to sports, to social and sexual success are made frequently, and alcohol is portrayed as part of the national tradition. Interviews with young people show that they like the humorous and musical alcohol advertisements best. These advertisements are not regulated by the alcohol industry’s self-regulation system. Moreover, the use of other marketing tools such as event sponsoring and influencing the general media by organizing media trainings to journalists creates a society in which alcohol plays an essential part. Alcohol is marketed as a product that plays a central role in the life of every Ghanaian: It is part of every party and celebration and it is easily available and affordable to everyone.
Source: vibeghana.com 04/14/13
MAMPA. Monitoring Alcohol Marketing in Africa (2011)