Ghanaian pandits and entertainment personalities would leap for joy after the morning ”ambush” on the 10th of August 2020 when a barrage of questions was fired left right center to just one representative (P.R.O) from the Gaming Commission of Ghana. The bone of contention was why the commission strictly prohibits celebrities and media personalities from advertising for and endorsing betting and gaming brands. Neutrals who tuned in to the show would definitely have pity on the P.R.O of the gaming commission in the studio as she struggled to answer simple questions with lots of grammatical expressions. The gaming commission’s argument is that its interest and mandate is to protect the young and vulnerable in society from gambling. The P.R.O of the commission re-iterated that their main target is persons below 18 years of age and those addicted to gambling and that there has been lots of success over the years.
This certainly did not go down well with the host and numerous guests on the show. Then followed the barrage of questions like missiles firing from all angles. The argument of the pandits: gaming is everywhere, and even TV stations that show international programs like football which most families watch together with children present, are mostly sponsored by betting and gaming companies, hence there is no point banning Ghanaian celebrities from endorsing or advertising for such companies.
For many media personalities and celebrities, the icing on the cake was when the host “Andy Dosty” loudly and clearly read an LPM advertising one such betting company as if to taunt the commission. ”There you go, I just read an LPM about gambling, yet I cannot advertise for them” – as though he meant: what sense does this make? Most listeners quickly understood the point the host was trying to make, but the commission’s PRO remained adamant on their position.
Writer: KASAD3 reporter
Credit: Hitz FM
Photo credit: gossipgh
