Source: newsthemegh.com
Today, June 19, 2024, the Supreme Court will rule on the hotly contested issue contesting the Food and Drug Administration’s (FDA) order banning celebrities from endorsing alcoholic products.
Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo convened a seven-member panel that first postponed its decision twice before reaching its current decision.
The FDA’s 2015 rule limits celebrity endorsements of alcoholic products in an effort to reduce alcohol usage among Ghanaians, especially minors.
According to The Authority, celebrities’ considerable influence may unintentionally encourage alcoholism in young people.
Reggie ‘N’ Bollie and Skrewfaze’s manager, Mark Darlington Osae, filed a petition on November 11, 2022, contesting the FDA’s rules.
According to Osae, who was represented by Bobby Banson of the Robert Smith Law Group, the order is biased against the creative arts sector.
He claims the prohibition goes against Articles 17(1) and 17(2) of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantee equality before the law and forbid discrimination on the basis of race, socioeconomic class, and occupation, among other things.
In his writ, Mr. Osae claims that the FDA’s rule, which forbids “well-known personalities or professionals” from taking part in advertisements for alcoholic beverages, is unconstitutional and ought to be declared invalid.
Well-known members of the creative community who have openly protested the FDA’s laws include Camidoh, Brother Sammy, Kuami Eugene, Wendy Shay, and Shatta Wale.
They contend that alcohol-related endorsements and advertising are vital sources of revenue for artists.