The Supreme Court will deliver a landmark judgment today regarding the contentious issue of celebrity endorsement of alcoholic beverages.
The ruling comes as a culmination of a legal battle between Ghanaian celebrities and the country’s regulatory body, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA).At the centre of this legal dispute is Mark Darlington, former Manager Mark Darlington Osae, Manager of Hiplife artistes – Reggie ‘N’ Bollie, and Skrewfaze, who spearheaded the legal challenge against the FDA’s ban on celebrity endorsements for alcoholic drinks.
In his social media post, Darlington wrote, “SUPREME COURT JUDGEMENT IS TODAY!! Just to alert you that the FDA Celebrity Ban Court judgment will be given TODAY, Wednesday, 8th May 2024, at the SUPREME COURT premises, Accra. Time: 9.30 am Sharp! Thnx.”
In 2015, the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) implemented a ban on Ghanaian celebrities endorsing alcoholic beverages, citing a World Health Organization policy and a desire to shield children from the allure of alcoholism.
However, this move has been met with resistance from the creative industry.
Mark Darlington Osae, manager of Reggie ‘N’ Bollie and Skrewfaze, took legal action against the FDA and Attorney General Godfred Yeboah Dame in November, challenging the ban.
Several stakeholders, including Wendy Shay, Shatta Wale, Brother Sammy, Kuami Eugene, and Camidoh, have spoken out against the law, urging its repeal.
On November 11, 2022, Osae, also a music publisher at Perfect Note Publishing, filed a writ of summons, arguing that the FDA’s 2015 regulations unfairly target the creative arts industry.