Ghana Government Must Ban Sachet Alcohol – VAST Ghana

The Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development (VAST-Ghana) has called on the Government of Ghana to ban the production and sale of alcohol in sachets to safeguard public health, particularly among children and young people.

According to the organisation, sachet alcohol products are small, inexpensive, and easy to conceal, making high-strength alcohol, often containing 43 percent alcohol or more, readily accessible to underage users, including schoolchildren who can easily hide them in their pockets.

VAST-Ghana warned that early exposure to alcohol has serious consequences, noting that the widespread availability of sachet alcohol contributes to abuse, addiction, and physiological damage such as liver disease, even from small quantities. It added that early alcohol use is especially harmful to developing bodies and can lead to long-term health problems.

The statement, copied to the Ghana News Agency and signed by Mr. Labram Musah, Executive Director of VAST-Ghana, urged the government to emulate the Nigerian National Agency for Food and Drug Administration and Control (NAFDAC). It noted that NAFDAC, like Ghana’s Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), has demonstrated strong commitment to public health by enforcing a nationwide ban on sachet alcohol and small bottles under 200ml.

“By acting decisively, NAFDAC has shown that safeguarding the public, especially children and minors, from early alcohol exposure requires strong regulatory enforcement rather than just words,” the statement said. It added that Nigeria’s ban directly addresses the affordability gap exploited by the alcohol industry.

VAST-Ghana stressed that Ghana’s FDA already has the legal authority under the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851), to create and enforce safety regulations. According to the group, decisive regulatory action would avoid prolonged parliamentary debates that the alcohol industry often uses to delay enforcement. The statement further noted that the FDA has already exercised its mandate under Act 851 to restrict alcohol advertising, including banning the use of well-known personalities in alcohol promotions and limiting alcohol adverts on radio and television.

Citing recent research published in BMC Public Health in May 2026, VAST-Ghana expressed alarm that alcohol has become the most used substance among Ghanaian students, with initiation ages reportedly dropping to as low as 10 years.

“The normalisation of sachet alcohol in transport terminals, community gatherings, and even near schools creates a toxic environment for our youth and children,” the statement said. It described the situation not only as a public health concern but also as a threat to national security and future human capital, warning that a society that allows children to be targeted by predatory marketing is sacrificing its future.

The organisation called on the FDA to urgently exercise its regulatory powers to immediately ban the production and sale of alcohol in sachets and PET bottles. It also urged the formal integration of the World Health Organization’s SAFER technical package into Ghana’s national alcohol policy framework.

Additionally, VAST-Ghana recommended the establishment and enforcement of strict conflict-of-interest guidelines to limit or exclude alcohol industry actors from interfering in public health policymaking. It also called for the finalisation and adoption of the long-delayed National Alcohol Regulations.

The statement urged the Government of Ghana, the Ministry of Health, the FDA, Parliament, and all relevant stakeholders to adopt a bold, evidence-based stance on alcohol control.

It stressed that protecting public health through decisive policy action is not punitive but preventive, progressive, and pragmatic. “The health of Ghanaians is the foundation of the nation’s productivity, and no economic argument should be strong enough to undermine that,” it said.

VAST-Ghana concluded that by banning sachet alcohol and adopting comprehensive alcohol control measures, Ghana could build a healthier, wealthier, and more resilient future.

Source: GNA