Legendary actor and producer, Oscar Provencal has given his opinion on the ban on celebrities endorsing alcoholic beverages in Ghana.

According to him, it is a ridiculous decision by the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), as it prevents public figures from earning a living since some of them feed on such remuneration.

He made these comments in an interview with Joy Prime’s Roselyn Felli on Wednesday during the Independence Day edition of the Prime Morning Show.

In his statement, he said, “It is one of the most ridiculous things I’ve ever heard in my entire life. Who is a celebrity? Who defines a celebrity? Today you can have instant celebrities; somebody who is a ‘nobody’ and tomorrow overnight is viral and so is a celebrity. Why would you want to stop somebody from earning a living because he’s a celebrity? We have celebrity lawyers, doctors, etc. It’s ridiculous to the core.”

Having participated in an advertisement for an alcoholic beverage, Club Beer, Inspector Bediako, as he is affectionately called, sees nothing wrong with the act.

The actor called on the FDA to carefully re-examine the law to allow celebrities to live freely and earn a living.

Background

In 2015, the Food and Drug Authority banned celebrities from participating in alcoholic beverage advertisements.

The FDA explained that the ban on celebrities advertising alcoholic beverages is an adherence to a World Health Organisation (WHO) policy.

According to the authority, the ban is part of efforts to ensure that minors are protected from being lured into alcoholism.

In November 2022, some stakeholders dragged the FDA to the apex court over the authority’s decision to ban the advertisement of alcohol by celebrities.

Some celebrities, including Shatta Wale, Brother Sammy, Kuami Eugene, George Quaye, and Camidoh, had all spoken against the law and had called on powers that be to repeal it prior to the court action initiated by Mark Darlington.

Meanwhile, a seven-member panel of the Supreme Court chaired by Chief Justice Gertrude Torkornoo on Wednesday, January 17, 2024, fixed April 10, 2024, to deliver judgement on the case.