The Executive Director of Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development (VAST-Ghana), Labram Musah, has called on the Government of Ghana to ban the production and sale of alcohol in sachets and small bottles under 200 millilitres, urging authorities to emulate Nigeria’s recent enforcement action in the interest of public health.
In a press statement issued on Tuesday, Labram Musah described Nigeria’s decision to resume nationwide enforcement of the ban on sachet alcohol in January 2026 as a “shining example” for Ghana and the wider West African sub-region.
He praised Nigeria’s National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC) for prioritising public health despite strong opposition from the alcohol industry.
According to VAST-Ghana, Nigeria’s enforcement move was met with resistance from key industry players, including the Manufacturers Association of Nigeria (MAN), the Nigeria Employers’ Consultative Association (NECA) and the Distillers and Blenders Association of Nigeria (DIBAN), who warned of job losses, factory shutdowns and economic disruption.
However, the organisation said NAFDAC’s resolve demonstrated that protecting public health particularly that of children and young people, must take precedence over commercial interests.
Mr. Musah noted that sachet alcohol and miniature bottles often contain high-strength spirits of up to 43 per cent alcohol, sold at very low prices and easily concealed, making them readily accessible to minors, including school children. He warned that early exposure to alcohol increases the risk of addiction, liver damage and other long-term health complications.
VAST-Ghana argued that Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) already has the legal mandate under the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851) to impose a similar ban through administrative measures, without waiting for prolonged parliamentary processes.
The group commended the FDA for previous actions, including restrictions on alcohol advertising and the use of celebrities in alcohol promotions, but stressed that banning sachet and miniature alcohol products was long overdue.
The organisation also welcomed the recent announcement by the Majority Leader and Leader of Government Business, Mr. Mahama Ayariga that government intends to introduce an Alcohol Control Regulations Bill in Parliament.
The proposed legislation is expected to regulate alcohol marketing, sponsorship and promotions, particularly those targeting young people and other vulnerable groups.
VAST-Ghana further pointed to experiences from other African countries such as Uganda and Malawi, where bans on sachet alcohol have reportedly reduced the visibility of high-potency spirits and eased alcohol-related public health burdens.
It cited a 2025 Alcohol Market Report indicating that Ghana’s alcohol sector is projected to grow by 13 per cent annually, a trend the organisation described as evidence of a deepening addiction crisis rather than economic progress.
The group referenced World Health Organization data identifying alcohol as a causal factor in more than 200 diseases and responsible for about three million deaths globally each year.
It also cited recent research suggesting that alcohol initiation among Ghanaian students now occurs as early as age 10.
VAST-Ghana has, therefore, called on the FDA to immediately ban sachet alcohol and small PET bottles, integrate the WHO’s SAFER technical package into national policy, finalise the National Alcohol Regulations, and establish strict conflict-of-interest rules to limit industry interference in public health policymaking.
“Protecting public health through decisive policy is not punitive but preventive,” the statement said, adding that Ghana’s future development depends on safeguarding the health and wellbeing of its population, especially its youth.
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