The Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development, Ghana (VAST-Ghana), a non-governmental organisation, has called on stakeholders in health to ban alcohol industry sponsorship in school-based and community activities.

It recommended the issue of a directive immediately banning all alcohol industry sponsorship of school events and educational programmes, drawing from national policies and global best practices, including the WHO SAFER Technical Package.

“The Ministry of Health (MoH), Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), Ghana Education Service (GES), and Ghana Health Service (GHS) should intervene decisively and prohibit alcohol industry involvement in school-based education and campaigns,” it stated.

It said the alcohol industry often disguised itself in such activities as corporate social responsibility to exploit young people for profit while normalising alcohol consumption and delaying effective policy action.

A statement by Laram Musah, the Executive Director of VAST-Ghana and copied to the Ghana News Agency, said alcohol industry infiltration in health and education activities violated the FDA Guidelines on Advertisement of Regulated Products and undermined public health efforts to combat alcohol harm among vulnerable youth.

The statement said despite the claim of alcohol companies that they educate on “risky behaviours,” these efforts served as greenwashing, downplaying harms and emphasizing “responsible” drinking over abstinence.

It noted that alcohol use posed a severe public health crisis in Ghana, contributing to premature deaths, non-communicable diseases, mental health conditions, and social issues like domestic violence and lower academic success.

“The Ghana STEPS Survey 2023 reveals that 22.6 per cent of adults aged 18–69 are current drinkers, with rates rising from 14.1 per cent among 18–29-year-olds,” it said.

It revealed that among school-going adolescents aged 11–19, 12.6 per cent report current alcohol use, and lifetime prevalence is significant in a population where 22.1 per cent (about 6.8 million) are minors.

“Heavy episodic drinking affects 2.5 per cent of adults, starting as early as 1.0 per cent in the 18–29 group. Per capita alcohol consumption has surged from 1.46 litres in 1960 to 2.7 litres in 2016, with heavy drinkers averaging 20 litres annually,” the statement said.

The VAST-Ghana also recommended the implementation of the WHO guidelines on Addressing and Managing Conflicts of Interest in Alcohol Control Policies and the Movendi International “Analyzing Alcohol Industry-Funded School-Based Youth Education Programmes.”

It said the authorities should halt all ongoing alcohol industry-led educational campaigns.

The statement urged the establishment of clear conflict-of-interest guidelines that explicitly exclude alcohol industry actors from public health policy development and youth education programmes.

It said a comprehensive, evidence-based alcohol education developed and delivered by government health and education agencies without industry involvement or funding should be integrated into the national curriculum.

It urged the strengthening of monitoring and enforcement mechanisms to detect and prevent alcohol industry infiltration of schools through sponsorship, donations, or educational partnerships.

The VAST-Ghana said it was the responsibility of the government to educate children on all health-related matters, not entities with fundamental conflicts of interest.

“These actions align with the Sustainable Development Goals, particularly SDG 3 (Good Health and Well-Being) and SDG 4 (Quality Education), ensuring that our children inherit a healthier, more equitable future,” it added.

It said, “VAST-Ghana stands ready to collaborate with government partners, development agencies, and communities to roll out genuine educational and awareness campaigns on the effects of alcohol use and other health-harming-related products, including tobacco, energy drinks, and sugar-sweetened beverages, free from industry interference.”