The Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) is working with the government to introduce the Advertising Standards Bill to regulate activities of the industry, the President of the association, Mr Joel Edmund Nettey, has said.
Mr Nettey, said the bill had become necessary due to complaints about the increasing poor advertising standards.
“We are introducing the Advertising Standards Bill as a form of disciplinary measure to check and regulate activities of the advertising industry,” he explained in a chat with the Daily Graphic at the 8th Gong Gong Awards of the AAG in Accra last Friday.
Advertising Bill
The Advertising Standards Bill will contain a set of rules and regulations that will guide the industry. It will ensure sanity and orderliness, as well as address issues relating to ethics.
The bill will be binding on both members and non-members of AAG and therefore anyone who infringes its provisions will be dealt with according to the law.
Mr Nettey said the AAG had tried to regulate the industry’s activities through persuasion but to no avail.
He said the association had worked keenly with the Ministry of Trade and Industry and the Ministry of Communications to come up with a proposed bill.
Spio-Garbrah
The Minister of Trade and Industry, Dr Ekwow Spio-Garbrah, who was the guest speaker, said the advertising industry had contributed to enhancing creativity and also created awareness on made-in-Ghana goods.
He was optimistic that the Advertising Standards Bill would be passed in 2015 so that the industry players would have their peace of mind.
“I am hopeful that a year by this time, the advertising bill will be passed to ensure standards in the advertising industry,” he said.
He urged AAG to continue with its good work and keep supporting made-in-Ghana products.
Awards
There were two categories of awards: the Sankofa Awards, which covered the four-year period for which the awards were on hold, and the Competitive Awards for 2013.
One hundred and eighty-six entries were received for the two categories of awards. Out of the number, 27 received the Sankofa Awards, while 22 companies won the Competitive Awards.
Scanad Ghana Limited won 22 of the awards, including the Overall Platinum Award for outdoor advertising.
