- Ghana has launched the third draft of The National Alcohol Policy in a bid to lessen the upward trend of alcohol abuse in the West African state.
The proposed policy recognises the role alcohol plays in Ghana, both in terms of its social and economic contribution and in terms of its capacity, when misused, to impose unacceptable costs on individuals and the community as a whole.
The Executive Director of the IMANI Centre for policy and Education, Franklin Cudjoe, said the policy was aimed at changing behaviour through encouraging and promoting positive patterns of drinking among adults who have made the decision to drink.
He said the policy was to help the government in the implementation of a comprehensive and community-endorsed national policy to ensure that alcohol was provided to the community applying appropriate level of regulations.
“For a policy of this nature to be effective and sustainable, cooperation and creative partnerships across all sectors of society are required,” he said.
Mr Cudjoe also expressed hope that government will recognise the importance of appropriate public information and education programmes that will raise the level of community understanding and literacy with regard to alcohol.
He said the policy was also aimed at preventing under-age drinking and to offer protection from harm.
The draft policy was developed through broad consultations including three national symposia in 2007 and 2008 with representatives of government agencies, non-governmental organisations, the beverage alcohol industry and civil society in attendance.
The first draft of the policy was presented to the former Minister of Health, Dr George Sipa-Adjah Yankey, in May 2009.
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