A significant proportion of outdoor advertising structures across Accra are operating outside established regulations, raising concerns about public safety and weak enforcement by local authorities.
President of the Advertising Association of Ghana, Andrew Ackah, says between 40 and 60 per cent of more than 10,000 billboards identified in the capital are illegal.
The findings emerged from an assessment independently funded by the association to determine the level of compliance within Ghana’s outdoor advertising industry.
Speaking on Citi FM’s Citi Breakfast Show on Wednesday, November 4, Mr Ackah explained that the association mapped the advertising structures and compared them with existing laws and technical guidelines governing their installation.
“We counted over 10,000 billboards. What we did was technically use this database and then superimpose it on the law and the guiding document. We realised that between 40 to 60 per cent of these billboards are illegal because they flout those rules,” he said.
The assessment identified several concerns, including structures that violate traffic and building regulations. Some installations also raise questions about their structural stability and the quality of materials used in their construction.
Mr Ackah attributed the situation partly to inadequate regulatory oversight by Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs), which are responsible for issuing permits and ensuring that outdoor advertising structures meet the required standards.
He noted that although the Ghana Standards Authority had developed guidelines with input from relevant stakeholders, enforcement remained a major challenge.
The association president warned that without stronger monitoring and compliance measures, unauthorised billboard installations could continue spreading across the capital.
He therefore called on the assemblies to strengthen inspections and ensure that permits are issued in accordance with the applicable laws and technical requirements.
