The Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) has advocated action from the government after more than a decade of stalled attempts to pass the Advertising Bill, warning that unregulated advertising continues to mislead consumers, exploit vulnerable groups, and undermine industry standards.
According to the President of AAG, Andrew Ackah, the Bill, first drafted between 2009 and 2010, had suffered repeated setbacks across successive governments despite advancing through cabinet approvals and even reaching the floor of Parliament.
Mr. Ackah said this during the AAG’s annual general meeting in Accra on Friday. He said the process had been derailed by election-year pressures, leaving the industry without a clear regulatory framework.
“We have not been lucky or supported enough to keep the bill alive. That is why this time, we want to start advocating for the current cabinet to review the bill, which I think is one of the most comprehensive. For the current cabinet to approve it, so that it can go to the floor of parliament.”
The President noted that the absence of regulation had led to a surge in unethical advertising practices such as false product claims, unregulated billboards, and misleading spiritual promotions. Particularly troubling, the President said, were adverts that prey on vulnerable population groups, including women and children, while some brands make claims they cannot substantiate.
The President of Ghana Independent Broadcasters Association (GIBA), Abdulai Awudu, also expressed concern, noting that advertising revenue remained essential to the survival of commercial broadcasters and that a regulated environment was critical for industry viability.
He said the government’s renewed enthusiasm for the Advertising Bill should equally extend to the long-delayed Broadcast Bill, which broadcasters have pursued since the late 1990s.
“Since the late 90s, we have been chasing the Broadcast Bill to get it passed. We hope this new enthusiasm that the government is showing for the passing of the AAG Bill will be translated into the Broadcast Bill, so that we can then push together, because a regulated industry is an industry that can be viable and do its work in the Republic of Ghana,” he added.
The Association strengthened its leadership with the inauguration of its committee chairpersons, who pledged to uphold integrity, professionalism, and the core values of the AAG at a time when regulatory reforms remain a national priority. New members were also formally inducted into the Association, and the Gong Gong Board was duly inaugurated.
BY PRINCE ADDO FRIMPONG
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