VALD demands apology from Sarkodie for posting cigar smoking pictures on social media

The Vision for Alternative Development (VALD) is demanding an apology from Ghanaian rapper Sarkodie for posting pictures of himself smoking cigar.

A week ago, the musician born Michael Owusu Addo in a post on his Instagram page was pictured smoking cigar.

Appalled by the act of the award-winning rapper, VALD together with the Ghana Non-Communicable Diseases Alliance (Ghana NCD Alliance), Media Alliance in Tobacco Control and Health (MATCOH), Jaishi Initiative, and the Community Health Support Team (CHEST) has expressed their disappointment.

“We are very disappointed in Sarkodie for circulating pictures of himself smoking a cigar on social media without considering the negative influence this singular act stands to have on the public especially the youth most of who consider him as their role model,” part of a press release issued by VALD reads.

Insisting that the pictures posted by Sarkodie are a threat to efforts being made to get people to quit smoking in Ghana and all over the world, VALD says the rapper must apologise.

“We are by this statement calling on the singer to render an apology to all Ghanaians especially the youth for such a distasteful act that has the propensity of changing behaviors of our youth from good to bad and pledge to support and promote the health and well-being of all,” the release adds.