Efya to FDA: Reconsider ban on celebrities from endorsing alcoholic beverages

Ghanaian musician Efya Nokturnal has urged the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to reconsider its ban restricting celebrities and well-known personalities from endorsing alcoholic beverages.

The FDA had previously issued a directive prohibiting celebrities from advertising alcoholic beverages.

The FDA’s directive, which barred the use of celebrities in advertisements for alcoholic beverages, was aimed at protecting minors from being influenced by celebrities into alcoholism.

In an exclusive interview with Asaase News, Efya highlighted the financial implications for artists and the broader market due to the ban.

On Wednesday (19 June), the Supreme Court dismissed a lawsuit challenging the Food and Drug Authority (FDA) guidelines for using celebrities to advertise alcoholic products.

She appealed for a review of the ruling, stating, “The FDA does not want us to sign for alcohol; it needs to be sorted out.”

“We are losing so much money. The alcohol brands don’t want to sponsor shows and it’s not just for us; it’s for the market as a whole. So please FDA, we promise that we’ll be good. Whatever they need us to do, we’ll do it, but at least they should let us make this bag.”

“Some of these bags are big. I was so close to getting a Hennessy deal, but I lost it because we can’t. That alcohol bag is a big bag. It’s just we need to stick to the rules; they should give us rules and we’ll stick to it.”

Concerning the deal she almost signed with Hennessy, she said, “Hennessy can do good things. It’s not just about them sponsoring the act of drinking; the money is for sponsoring things like charities.”

“Isn’t that good for the kids? Think about all the money that we will lose if the money doesn’t come to us. If the money doesn’t come to us, it goes to somebody else.”

Reporting by Elizabeth Yeboah Akyemaa in Accra