[ 2016-02-27 ]

We need an Advertising Standards Authority in Ghana – GIBA
The President of the Ghana Independent
Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Mr. Akwasi
Agyeman has called for an Advertising Standards
Authority to be put in place to check the recent
proliferation of sub-standard and deceptive
advertising across the country.

Speaking to Kwame Gyan, Host of e.TV Ghana's State
of the Nation program, he indicated that the
Association is not anti-regulation and said they
are open to a multi-stakeholder approach to
sanitizing the broadcasting industry.

There has been a public cry over the issue. One
such advertorial that has enraged viewers and
users of social media is the one put out by an
Accra based charismatic church and broadcast on a
digital TV station which suggests that worshippers
that buy what they call a “solution water” can
have their prayers answered by writing their
requests on pieces of paper and dipping them into
the water. Another assertion from the advertorial
is that users can cancel their debts and move
monies into their bank accounts if they purchased
the solution and followed the instructions.

Mr. Agyeman in expressing his disapproval of both
the content of the advertorial and t been
broadcast on TV said there was no way this sort of
message must be allowed on television. “If we
had an Advertising Standards Authority in this
country, there was no way this sort of ad would
have been allowed on TV. The absence of such a
body has resulted in the continued airing of such
materials on TV by media owners whose focus is
more on making quick money than maintaining
standards”, he said.

He called for a collaboration effort among key
stakeholders including the National Communication
Authority, National Media Commission, GIBA,
Advertisers Association of Ghana in forming the
Advertising Standards Authority to curb the
situation.

Joining in the discussion, Mr. George Sarpong ,
the Executive Secretary of the National Media
Commission reiterated the Commissions intention to
put in place a content standards regime and said
it's point of departure with GIBA on the recently
introduced Media Content Standards Regulation ( LI
2224) is not too far off.

He believed all stakeholders can work together to
make the media landscape better. Mr Sarpong
bemoaned the current situation that has seen the
increase of sub-standard content on the Ghanaian
media landscape but was hopeful that a common
ground can be met with key stakeholders top
ameliorate the situation.

The Public Relations Manager of the Ghana
Standards Authority (GSA) Mr. Kofi
Amponsah-Bediako, who also spoke on the program
said the Authority does not have the mandate to
regulate advertising of products.

However, he joined the call for a body to regulate
how advertising of products are done in the
country to avoid deception. He lamented over the
absence of an authority to check the advertising
space especially as it plays a vital role in the
overall health and development of the country.

Source - Kwame Gyan

... go Back