Dzokoto livid over liquor advert ban imposed on him

Popular Ghanaian TV and radio personality, Seth Kwame Dzokoto has said the ban prohibiting him from featuring in any commercial advertisements promoting alcoholic beverages smacks of double standards.

The Food and Drugs Authority (FDA), according to the actor refused to approve an advertisement he worked on for one of his clients, saying according to the law, (Hyperlink Code), Dzokoto’s celebrity status and influence on people–forbids him from featuring in such adverts.

The FDA also stated that the ban is to protect the interest of underage fans of the famous ‘Edziban’ TV show host.

Reacting to the ban on Morning Zoo hosted by Nii Ayi Tagoe on Starr 103.5FM on Saturday March 14, the actor who has featured in many of such liquor commercials, raised questions about the law used to ban him.

“Is this the first time that somebody who is on the screen has done such an ‘add’ since 1970? …If you want to enforce the law you try to enforce it in a [fair manner]...now I’m in debt and I must pay that money back to my client,” he stated.

“I just did an advert for a client and the advert was rejected with the explanation that: ‘This guy is popular and is not supposed to be seen in alcoholic adverts’. That’s why I said they were not fair to me. I had never heard that it is the law,” he added.

He also said the ban imposed on him has affected him adversely.

“It’s a big blow to me because that is what I live on. I think that they were also not fair to me in some aspects….”

When asked if he thought other celebrities were being favoured over him, Dzokoto responded: “Yes, I would think so. We are all stakeholders, we want the best and we should not be too harsh on this.”

“Within that range of time that I was banned, it was within that same time that Guinness came out with their [Made of Black Campaign] of which Shatta Wale is on it and so I was asking: ‘What is going on?’”