Mr. Kofi Owusu Hene, aka Kofi Kapito, Chief Executive Officer of the Consumer Protection Agency (CPA), has challenged celebrities and social media influencers to be more creative to better their chances of getting juicy deals.
He said this to encourage the celebrities and social media influencers to accept the Supreme Court decision backing the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) ban on them from endorsing alcoholic beverages in good faith.
According to him, there are several grey areas in advertisement that mustbe discovered and exploited, which players of this industry must take advantage of.
Speaking at a press conference in Accra yesterday, he said the celebrities and cohorts have no business to cry over the decision of the apex court, as they ought to know better.
He noted that they can do a reversed advertisement, which protect children under 18 years against drinking and it will be more rewarding.
“It is so sad that it is only in Ghana that one can witness a hard liquor advertisement on prime time news bulletin. Many of our children before they exit Senior High School are exposed to alcoholic beverages with percentages that were as high as 67% in recent survey and should be a concern to every parent citizen of this country,” he echoed
Kofi Kapito indicated that the media and advertising agencies are governed by rules – ethics, code and guidelines, but chose to flaunt them for obvious reasons.
“Now that the Supreme Court has affirmed a ruling on these codes, we sincerely pray that the FDA, which has risen up to occasion in recent times to deal ruthlessly with any institution that flaunt these codes and guidelines will enforce it”, he stressed.
Parents, particularly mothers, were charged to be on the frontline fighting in protection of their children against these offensive advertisements.
