21 July 2014
Namibian opposition MP Clara Gowases earlier this month called for a ban on all alcohol-related advertisements in a policy effort to curb the escalating use of alcohol in the South Western African nation.
Miss Gowases who represents the Republican Party in the Namibian National Assembly called for a ban on advertising alcoholic beverages during a discussion between MPs on the Report on Alcohol Abuse in Namibia.
“I want to suggest that the advertising of alcoholic beverages be banned in the communities, and to the extreme, be banned completely,” she said. Miss Gowases further suggested the demarcation of special areas in communities where alcohol could be consumed. She also addressed concerns about the availability of alcohol to children as young as 10 years old. To tackle this early initiation Gowases wants law enforcement agencies to strictly monitor liquor outlets to “protect our children”.
Additionally the MP stressed the importance of parents to be educated and sensitized to drink responsibly: “The irony is that in most cases the children are left at home unsupervised. Children then visit shebeens with elder peers…” She said education on using alcohol responsibly is a burning issue, and political leaders and councillors should make it their responsibility to address the issue in their campaigns and public meetings.
According to international indexes Namibia ranks fifth in alcohol consumption on the African continent, while recent figures from the WHO suggest that Namibian women rank sixth in Africa as binge drinkers.
Source: allafrica.com 07/14/14
