The Chairman of the Alcohol Policy Alliance – Ghana (GhanAPA), Benjamin Anabila, has called on the Ministry of Health and Parliament to expedite the passage of the draft National Alcohol Control Regulations.

He said this would help reduce health risks and promote wellness among citizens.

He stated that the 2023 report of the Mental Health Authority recorded 3,765 cases of alcohol-related health disorders, while a 2014 study by the National Road Safety Authority confirmed alcohol as one of the major factors contributing to road crashes.

Mr. Anabila made the call in an interview with the media during the 2nd High-Level Stakeholders’ Meeting on the implementation of Ghana’s National Alcohol Policy (2016) in Accra.

The meeting was held on the theme: “Harnessing the Reset Agenda to Stimulate Healthy Lifestyles, Reduce Health Risks, and Promote Wellness Through the Passage of the Draft National Alcohol Control Regulations in Ghana.”

Mr. Anabila said the Ghana STEPS Report 2023 showed that 22.6 per cent of adults aged 18–69 years were current drinkers of alcohol, with men constituting 30.6 per cent and women 14.5 per cent.

He indicated that alcohol consumption is linked to various health and disease conditions, including liver disease, cancers, high blood pressure, heart disease, and stroke.

The Chairman urged the Ministry of Health to urgently move the regulations to the Cabinet for onward submission to Parliament for passage and implementation.

Mr. Anabila said GhanAPA had been inspired by the Resetting Ghana Agenda: “Building the Ghana We Want Together,” specifically Section 5.2.1 on preventing diseases and promoting health and wellness.

He said, to this end, the Alliance was committed to the comprehensive implementation of the National Health Policy 2020, National Non-Communicable Diseases Policy 2022, National Alcohol Policy 2016, and the Excise Duty (Amendment) (No. 2) Act, 2023 (Act 1108).