CSOs urged to press for legislation to enforce Alcohol Law

By Albert Allotey, GNA

Accra, July 31, GNA – The Ghana Alcohol Policy Alliance (GhanAPA), a network of civil society organisations (CSOs) has been launched with a call on them to press harder for the passage of a Legislative Instrument (LI) to help enforce the law on alcohol use.

Dr Akwasi Osei, the Chief Executive of the Mental Health Authority, who made the call at the launch on Tuesday in Accra said alcohol abuse has put a heavy burden on the health system of the country and needed to be addressed as early as possible.

He said: “As an Alliance, we have a major role to play by ensuring that the LI is passed to manage the alcoholic beverage advertisements on our radios and televisions. It is not true that alcohol makes people strong and powerful.”

Dr Osei said alcohol consumption caused a lot of damage to the human organs and urged the CSOs to wage a serious fight against it, adding that; “we should not allow some cultures to influence us into alcoholism, but we should rather influence those cultures.”

Mrs Cynthia Dapaah, the Head of the Legal Department of the Foods and Drugs Authority, said there was the need for a data on local alcoholic drink producers so as to help check their activities.

She called on society to protect against nude women in advertisement, while urging the citizenry to alert the FDA of any drinking spot near educational institution for action to be taken.

Mr Benjamin Anabila, the Chairman of GhanAPA said the Alliance was into alcohol prevention, treatment, rehabilitation and control in Ghana and was affiliated to the West African Alcohol Policy Alliance (WAAPA) and the Ghana Non-Communicable Disease Alliance (GhNCDA).

He said they would ensure the implementation of the World Health Organisation’s global strategy by encouraging and promoting abstinence, reduction in consumption and to advocate the regulation of production, marketing, advertisement and sales of alcoholic beverages.

Mr Anabila said it would go a long way to enhance public health and reduce the socio-economic effect of alcohol consumption.

Mr Adam Abdul Fatah, the National Coordinator of GhanAPA said: “Today our young ones are taking to alcohol consumption because the industry is re-designing and packaging the product for easy accessibility and usage.

“It is now time for us to take a decision to stop the harmful use of alcohol, especially to protect the future generation.”

GNA

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