A prominent legal battle is taking place in Ghana’s High Court as Faustina Djagbele Abbey, a notable onion vendor close to Accra’s Makola Market, has initiated a GH¢2 million lawsuit against telecom giant Telecel Ghana, which is managed by Ghana Telecommunications Company Limited.
Central to the case is Abbey’s assertion that Telecel utilized her likeness without consent to advertise its ‘Telecel Red Save’ product on various platforms, including social media.
Court records submitted on May 23, 2025, by her attorney Bernard Owiredu Donkor from Thompson Law Consult assert that the unapproved use infringes on her privacy, dignity, and individual freedoms.
The writ states that Abbey was neither consulted nor informed, much less compensated, prior to her image being utilized in promotional content that has been seen by thousands, if not millions, of people online.
Her legal team claims that this not only violates her image rights but also exposes her to unwanted public scrutiny.
Madam Abbey is pursuing compensation for the misuse of her identity, claiming that the actions of the telecom company have resulted in emotional distress and damaged her personal and professional image.
The legal case is igniting discussions about image rights and permission in advertising, especially as businesses more frequently use aspects of daily life and regular individuals for marketing initiatives.
The case is anticipated to examine the limits of Ghana’s privacy regulations and could establish an important precedent for ethical standards in digital media and marketing in the nation.
NKONKONSA.com
