The Supreme Court is set to deliver a landmark judgment today, June 19, in the case challenging the Food and Drugs Authority’s (FDA) directive banning celebrities from endorsing alcoholic beverages.
The judgment, expected to be delivered by a seven-member panel chaired by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo, will determine the fate of the controversial ban imposed in 2015.
The FDA’s directive aims to regulate alcohol consumption among Ghanaians, but aspects of the guidelines have been deemed discriminatory against the creative arts industry.
Mark Darlington Osae, manager of Reggie ‘N’ Bollie and Skrewfaze, filed a writ in November 2022, arguing that the ban violates articles 17(1) and 17(2) of the 1992 Constitution, which guarantee equality before the law and prohibit discrimination based on social or economic status, occupation, among others.
Several stakeholders in the creative industry, including Wendy Shay, Shatta Wale, Brother Sammy, Kuami Eugene, and Camidoh, have spoken out against the ban, urging its repeal.
The industry players argue that endorsements and advertisements of alcoholic beverages are a significant source of income for them, and the ban robs them of their livelihood.
