Executive Director of VAST Ghana secures his second term on Movendi international Board

Mr Labram Musah Massawudu, Executive Director of Vision for Accelerated Sustainable Development Ghana (VAST Ghana), has been re-elected to the International Board of Movendi International for another four-year term, extending his leadership role in global alcohol prevention advocacy until 2030. His re-election took place during the organisation’s 71st World Congress in Kranjska Gora, Slovenia, from October 2 to 7, 2026. Mr Musah first joined the board in 2022. The congress elected a new board, adopted a four-year strategic plan and marked the movement’s 175th anniversary. Mr Musah also addressed a session on exposing alcohol industry influence, where he presented VAST Ghana’s work in monitoring and challenging industry interference in public health policymaking. In a statement following his re-election, Mr Musah said his renewed mandate was an opportunity to advance stronger alcohol control measures in Ghana, across Africa and internationally. He argued that alcohol-related harm should be treated as a public health and development concern rather than solely as an individual lifestyle issue. “The next four years must be about turning that recognition into binding obligations on governments in Ghana, across Africa, and at the international level,” Mr Labram said. Movendi International is a global social movement that promotes development through alcohol prevention, with members across Africa, the Asia-Pacific region, the Americas and Europe. Its new Strategic Road Map for 2027 to 2030 focuses on strengthening community mobilisation, promoting effective alcohol policies, countering industry interference, supporting prevention and recovery programmes, encouraging alcohol-free environments and shaping public debate. The organisation also intends to advance discussions on an international framework for alcohol control, drawing on lessons from the World Health Organization Framework Convention on Tobacco Control. Mr Musah’s re-election comes as Ghana faces calls to strengthen the implementation of its existing alcohol control policies. Ghana adopted its National Alcohol Policy in 2016 and launched it in 2017. VAST Ghana is advocating the introduction and enforcement of alcohol control regulations, restrictions on harmful marketing practices, health-based taxation and measures to protect public policymaking from commercial interference. The organisation also wants part of health-related tax revenue directed towards preventing non-communicable diseases and supporting the Ghana Medical Trust Fund. Mr Musah has more than two decades of experience in public health advocacy, taxation and community mobilisation. His work has included advocacy for tobacco control legislation, support for Ghana’s National Alcohol Policy and efforts to strengthen accountability in industries whose products pose public health risks. He has also contributed to public health advocacy through organisations and coalitions, including NCD Alliance Ghana, the Africa NCDs Network, the Ghana Alcohol Policy Alliance and the West Africa Alcohol Policy Alliance. VAST Ghana has undertaken community education on alcohol and tobacco control and non-communicable diseases, while contributing to research and policy discussions on alcohol use, tobacco taxation and industry interference. The organisation believes Mr Musah’s continued presence on the international board will help bring Ghana’s public health advocacy experience into global discussions on alcohol control. Solomon Foli, Programmes Manager at NCD Alliance Ghana, described the re-election as recognition of Mr Musah’s work and Ghana’s progress in evidence-based public health advocacy. Godfred Tweneboa Kodua, Research and Policy Advocacy Manager at VAST Ghana, said the development also raised expectations for the organisation’s local campaigns, which he said would be informed by international best practices. Mr Musah said Ghana had made progress in developing evidence and building a public health advocacy movement, but stressed that stronger enforcement and sustainable financing remained necessary. Mr Labram said his priority over the next four years would be to help ensure that alcohol policies produced practical changes in marketing, product availability and the exposure of young people to alcohol.