A coalition of civil society organisations led by Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development (VAST Ghana) has strongly opposed calls by the Ghana Football Association (GFA) to relax restrictions on alcohol sponsorship and promotion in sports, insisting that the protection of children must take precedence over commercial interests.
In a statement issued on November 7, 2026, VAST Ghana rejected the GFA’s renewed appeal for the Food and Drugs Authority (FDA) to lift restrictions that prohibit the promotion of alcoholic beverages through sporting activities.
The debate follows comments by GFA President, Mr. Kurt Edwin Simeon-Okraku, on November 4, 2026, in which he argued that the restrictions have limited commercial opportunities for Ghanaian football. Media reports indicated that the Association had lost a proposed sponsorship deal with Guinness Ghana reportedly worth more than US$5 million annually.
While acknowledging the financial challenges facing football and other sporting disciplines, VAST Ghana maintained that sports financing should not come at the expense of public health, particularly the welfare of children and adolescents.
“Financing sports must not come at the expense of children’s health and protection,” the organisation stated, adding that Ghana should not weaken safeguards designed to shield minors from exposure to alcohol marketing.
According to VAST Ghana, the FDA guidelines regulating advertisements of alcoholic beverages are grounded in the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), and are intended to reduce children’s exposure to alcohol-related promotions. The guidelines prohibit the association of alcoholic beverages with sporting activities and ban advertisements that directly or indirectly target persons under the age of 18.
The organisation argued that alcohol sponsorship in sports goes beyond financial support and effectively serves as advertising aimed at audiences that include children.
VAST Ghana further contended that the recently enacted Ghana Sports Fund Act, 2025 (Act 1159), does not override the FDA’s authority to regulate alcohol advertising. It noted that while the law identifies beverage advertisement revenue as one of the sources of funding for sports development, it does not specifically authorise alcohol advertising in sports.
The group also cited a Supreme Court ruling delivered on June 19, 2024, in which the court, by a majority decision of five to two, upheld FDA guidelines restricting public figures from endorsing alcoholic beverages. According to VAST Ghana, the ruling affirmed the regulator’s authority to protect children from alcohol exposure and upheld the constitutionality of the guidelines.
The organisation expressed concern about alcohol consumption among young people, citing national data indicating that alcohol use among adolescents remains a significant public health challenge.
It also referenced Ghana’s obligations under international and domestic legal frameworks, including the United Nations Convention on the Rights of the Child, the African Charter on the Rights and Welfare of the Child and Article 28 of the 1992 Constitution, which require the protection of children from harmful influences and preventable health risks.
VAST Ghana warned that associating alcohol brands with football, entertainment and success could normalise alcohol consumption among young people, increasing the long-term burden of non-communicable diseases and healthcare costs.
The organisation called on Parliament, the Ministry of Health, the Ministry of Sports and Recreation, the FDA and other stakeholders to resist any attempts to weaken existing regulations and instead pursue alternative funding sources for sports development.
It pointed to several financing options contained in the Ghana Sports Fund Act, including parliamentary allocations, sports lotteries, betting revenues, gate proceeds, athlete transfers, grants, donations and investments.
The group also highlighted figures from the Ministry of Finance’s Annual Tax Revenue Performance Report 2025, which indicated that domestic excise revenue, including taxes on alcoholic products, generated about GH¢1.56 billion.
In a notable proposal, VAST Ghana’s Chief Executive Officer, Mr. Labram Musah, suggested that a portion of alcohol excise tax revenues could be channelled into sports development without allowing alcohol brands to advertise through football.
“If the Association needs revenue, we will walk with them to the Ministry of Finance and argue for a share of excise tax revenue. Let the product pay for the game without putting its name on our screens and children’s shirts. That offer is still open, and it is now worth more than the deal they lost,” he said.
VAST Ghana reiterated its commitment to working with the GFA and other stakeholders to develop a sponsorship framework that supports football development while safeguarding children from alcohol-related marketing and harm.
The organisation concluded by urging all stakeholders to prioritise children’s right to health over commercial considerations, stressing that sports development and child protection must go hand in hand.