Advertisers and Churches are Abusing the Rights of Women

Advertisers and Churches are Abusing the Rights of Women
The Ghanaian Times; Monday, March 8, 2010; Page
Kinsley Asare

A member of the National Media Commission (NMC), Mr. Berfi Appenteng has expressed concern about the excessive use of children in advertisements and called for a regulatory framework to control the trend.

Mr. Appenteng who is also the Managing Director of TV Africa said this on Friday at the investiture of the new executive council members of the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) in Accra last Friday.

He raised misgivings about the increasing practice of churches showing children and women on television during healing processes, saying that it was a violation of their human rights.He further criticized the emerging trends where radio stations advertised medicines and invited the public to the station to buy such drugs.

Mr. Appenteng said these were challenging times for the media and the advertising industry because their audiences were getting fragmented and warned that the situation would get worse in the next couple of decades with the introduction of digital broadcasting. Mr. Appenteng therefore, encouraged the media and the advertisers association to come out with quality products to meet the competition in the industry.

The out-going president of AAG, Reginald Daniel Laryea, in his address, commended the council and members of the association for their support which had ensured his successful tenure of office.

Outlining some of the achievements of the association during his tenure of office, Mr. Laryea said the association developed a five-year strategic plan; Ghana chapter of the International Advertising Association was formed and also the association was appointed as the country representative at the International Advert Festival.

Other achievements were the formalization of the Institute of Advertising to train personnel of agencies and others interested as professional advertising practioners, presentation of the National Standard for Outdoor advertising to the Ghana Standards Board for gazetting and admission of individual members into the association for the first time in the history of the industry.

Mrs. Norkor Duah, the new president of AAG in her acceptance speech said many countries were struggling to come out of the global economic crisis. Ghana, she said was not spared, creating a crippling effect on the advertising industry, adding ‘We are faced with tremendous challenges as shown in drastic cuts in advertising budgets and promotional activities’.

‘Consequently, advertising agencies have suffered set-backs. We are saddled with dwindling business revenue, making it difficult for us to operate’ she said.

Mindful of these limitations, Mrs. Duah said her team was coming out to implement a strategy designed to revive and sustain the growth of the industry. ‘This requires going back to the basics, the core existence of this association. It implies that we work more in unison now than ever, with our clients and partners, especially the media.’

The 16-member new executive council members, who are to serve for two years, were sworn in by Justice Novisi Aryene, a High Court Judge.