The Chairperson of the Parliamentary Committee on Local Government and Decentralisation, Queenstar Pokuah Sawyerr, has tasked the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to take immediate steps to crack down on unauthorised billboards and signboards along major roads in the capital. She said the huge number of such structures had become a disturbing menace, obstructing motorists' views and posing a threat to road safety.
Mrs Sawyerr raised the concern when officials of the AMA, led by its Chief Executive, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, appeared before the committee on Tuesday, October 6, to respond to a number of financial infractions contained in the 2025 Auditor-General's reports on the assembly. The issue of unauthorised billboards and signboards came up during discussions on what steps the AMA had taken to rid the capital of unauthorised structures and restore the beauty of road medians.
According to Mrs Sawyerr, one of the biggest challenges facing beautification and road safety in the capital was the presence of unauthorised billboards and signboards along major roads. She urged the AMA to focus on billboards and signboards mounted along road medians, saying some of them were positioned in ways that made it difficult for motorists to see clearly.
The MP for Agona East said the situation had become a concern for motorists, with several complaints from people who had experienced difficulties driving around parts of Accra because of structures obstructing their views. Mrs Sawyerr also urged the AMA not to focus mainly on petty traders using tables along the medians, but rather deal with containers and other permanent unauthorised structures in the streets.
Responding, Mr Allotey said the AMA had formed a team to assist the assembly in dealing with the challenge. "We have already begun removing some unauthorised billboards and signboards within the road median and we do not need to give notice to the owners since they do not have permission," he said.
He said the assembly had observed that attempts to notify owners of unauthorised structures before removing them often gave them the opportunity to mobilise people to resist the exercise. The assembly was also taking steps to relocate traders from road medians as part of efforts to restore greenery and beautify major roads in the city.
The AMA's efforts to address the issue of unauthorised structures are part of a broader strategy to improve road safety and beautify the city. The assembly's initiative has been welcomed by residents, who have expressed concerns about the impact of unauthorised billboards and signboards on road safety and the aesthetic appeal of the city.
Key points
- The AMA has formed a team to remove unauthorised billboards and signboards.
- The committee chairperson, Mrs Sawyerr, urged the AMA to focus on removing permanent unauthorised structures.
- The AMA is taking steps to relocate traders from road medians to designated areas.
