The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has removed more than 120 unauthorised advertising boards mounted on road medians across central Accra as part of efforts to eliminate visual obstructions and improve safety for motorists and pedestrians.
The Authority’s Director-General, Abraham Amaliba, led the weekend enforcement exercise alongside the Technical Advisor and members of the Greater Accra Regional Team.
The operation covered the central Accra corridor, stretching from the Supreme Court through the Ridge Roundabout and the Trades Union Congress (TUC) head office to the Mövenpick Ambassador Hotel.
In an update issued on Sunday, November 8, the NRSA said the exercise targeted advertising structures erected on road medians without the required statutory approval.
According to the Authority, the unauthorised signage obstructed motorists’ visibility and posed risks to pedestrians crossing major roads.
The NRSA cautioned advertisers and outdoor signage operators against installing unapproved structures on road medians and other public spaces. It added that the removal exercise would continue as part of a broader campaign to improve road safety and protect vulnerable road users.
The enforcement action follows a recent assessment by the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG), whose President, Andrew Ackah, disclosed that between 40 and 60 per cent of the approximately 10,000 billboards identified across Accra violate traffic and building regulations.
The association’s assessment reportedly found that several outdoor advertising structures had been erected without the necessary permits, while others were made with substandard materials and lacked adequate structural integrity, posing risks to motorists and pedestrians.
Local authorities and lawmakers have also intensified efforts to regulate outdoor advertising in the capital.
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly has set November 14 as the deadline for the removal of illegal billboards across the metropolis, following directives to advertisers to dismantle unauthorised installations.
Meanwhile, Majority Leader Mahama Ayariga announced in Parliament last week that the government was considering restricting advertising at junctions and roundabouts to electronic billboards as part of efforts to reduce visual clutter at major intersections.
By:Rachael Djabakie