Billboard operators in Accra have until November 13 to put their names and company details on their advertising structures or risk having the installations marked for removal in a fresh government crackdown on unauthorised outdoor advertising.

The directive precedes a joint inspection exercise scheduled for November 14, during which officials from the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, the Advertising Association of Ghana and other regulatory bodies will examine billboard installations at selected locations across the capital.

The operation is intended to establish ownership, identify structures that have been erected without the necessary authorisation and flag installations that fail to meet prescribed safety and technical requirements.

Under the arrangement announced in a joint statement issued on November 5, any billboard that remains unidentified after the November 13 deadline will be treated as unclaimed or potentially unauthorised and may be earmarked for removal.

The inspection teams will include representatives of the Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA) and other relevant stakeholders. Media representatives are also expected to accompany the teams.

The exercise will be guided by the GSA's GS-847:2019, Second Edition, which sets out specifications for the mounting and installation of outdoor advertising structures.

The Ministry said the intervention was aimed at improving public safety, enforcing existing regulations and bringing greater order to the outdoor advertising industry.

Scale of the problem

The planned operation follows concerns about the widespread presence of billboards that breach established requirements in the capital.

The President of the Advertising Association of Ghana, Andrew Ackah, disclosed on November 4 that an assessment by the association had identified more than 10,000 billboards in Accra, with between 40 and 60 per cent estimated to be illegal or non-compliant.

He said the association had mapped the structures and compared them with the applicable laws and technical guidelines, uncovering violations relating to traffic and building regulations, as well as concerns about the structural integrity and materials used in some installations.

The findings point to the scale of the regulatory challenge facing authorities, particularly the assemblies responsible for issuing permits and monitoring outdoor advertising structures.

The Accra Metropolitan Assembly's permit requirements, for instance, include structural drawings endorsed by qualified professionals, evidence of insurance cover and written consent from property owners where installations are proposed on private land.

Enforcement beyond Accra

The November 14 inspection is expected to mark the start of a sustained programme rather than a one-off operation.

According to the joint statement, periodic inspections and enforcement measures will continue in Accra before the exercise is extended to other parts of the country in collaboration with the respective MMDAs and relevant stakeholders.

The Ministry has consequently urged advertising companies, billboard owners and property owners to meet the identification deadline and cooperate with the inspection teams.

The public and the media have also been asked to support the initiative.

The latest move comes amid broader government concerns about the effects of billboard congestion on urban planning and road safety. Local Government Minister Mahama Ayariga has separately disclosed that the government is considering restricting conventional billboard installations in certain locations, particularly around roundabouts and road junctions, in favour of electronic displays.

He has argued that the concentration of advertising structures at such locations can obstruct motorists' view of approaching vehicles and create difficulties for road users.

The authorities say the wider objective is to ensure that outdoor advertising structures are properly sited, safely installed and operated in accordance with the country's regulatory requirements.

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All unauthorised billboards in Accra to be removed on November 14

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