FDA claim is false – GIBA

The Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) has denied signing any document regarding a directive on the advertisement of alcoholic beverages in the country.
The group, in a statement signed by its Executive Secretary, Gloria Hiadzi, has denied any knowledge of a meeting to specifically discuss restrictions on alcohol advertisement.
It therefore describes as false, a publication on ghanaweb attributed to the Head of Communications and Public Education of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Mr. James Lartey in which he claimed GIBA was among other stakeholders who had supported the directive.
The publication also claimed that all the stakeholders signed a communique to pledge their unflinching support to the directive but the release described same as false.
GIBA has therefore challenged the FDA to produce any document(s) with signatures of the person(s) from GIBA who signed the communiqué to mean a pledge in support to the directive.
The release requested for an urgent meeting with the FDA to discuss issues pertaining to the directive.
Read the full statement below:
GIBA DENIES SIGNING DOCUMENT ON DIRECTIVE ON ADVERTISEMENT OF ALCOHOLIC BEVERAGES
The attention of the Executive Council of the Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA) has been drawn to a publication by www.ghanaweb.com on 12 January 2018, titled; “FDA to descend heavily on offenders flouting its directive”. In the said publication, it was reported that Mr. James Lartey, the Head of Communications and Public Education of the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) had told the Ghana News Agency that the Ghana Independence Broadcasters Association was among other stakeholders who had supported the directive on the advertisement of alcoholic beverages and that “all the stakeholders signed a communique to pledge their unflinching support to the directive”.
The Executive Council of GIBA would like to categorically state that, no meeting has taken place to specifically discuss restrictions on alcohol advertisement and that no communiqué had been received by the National Secretariat after the said meeting which took place on 31 October 2017. In spite of several follow-up calls made to the FDA, GIBA has still not received the said communiqué.
GIBA therefore takes exception to the assertion by the Head of Communications and Public Education of the FDA that GIBA has signed a communiqué and hereby challenge the FDA to produce any document(s) with signatures of the person(s) from GIBA, who signed the communiqué to mean a pledge in support to the directive.
Further to these developments, GIBA has in a letter requested for an urgent meeting with the Food and Drugs Authority to discuss issues pertaining to the directive. We believe the FDA will consider the developing issues and take the necessary steps in the interest of our mutual co-existence.
Gloria Hiadzi
Executive Secretary