The Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, in collaboration with the Advertising Association of Ghana, has announced a joint exercise to identify and remove all unauthorised and non-compliant advertising billboards in Accra. The exercise, scheduled for November 14, 2026, aims to promote public safety, ensure regulatory compliance, and maintain an orderly outdoor advertising environment. Billboard owners and advertising companies have been informed to display their names and company names on the structures by November 13, 2026.
The exercise is based on the Ghana Standards Authority's guidelines, particularly GS-847, 2019, Second Edition, which sets the applicable standards for the mounting and installation of advertising billboards. Any billboard that remains unidentified after the deadline will be presumed unclaimed or unauthorised and may be earmarked for removal. The joint press statement, issued on November 5, 2026, explained that the exercise is a collective commitment to public safety, regulatory compliance, and a clean, orderly, and well-regulated outdoor advertising environment.
On November 14, 2026, the Ministry, the Advertising Association of Ghana, the Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs), the Ghana Standards Authority (GSA), and other stakeholders, accompanied by the media, will undertake a joint inspection of selected roads and locations in Accra with a high concentration of billboards. The exercise will identify structures that are unidentified, unauthorised, or non-compliant, with enforcement action commencing thereafter.
The statement noted that the exercise will be sustained through periodic inspections and enforcement activities in Accra and subsequently replicated across the country in collaboration with the respective MMDAs and relevant stakeholders. This move is expected to ensure that all billboards in Ghana meet the required standards, promoting public safety and a well-regulated outdoor advertising environment.
The Ministry has urged all billboard owners, advertising agencies, and property owners to comply with the identification deadline and cooperate fully with the exercise. The public and media are also encouraged to support the initiative, which aims to promote public safety, regulatory compliance, and a clean, orderly, and well-regulated outdoor advertising environment.
The joint exercise is a collaborative effort between the Ministry of Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, the Advertising Association of Ghana, and other stakeholders, including the MMDAs and the GSA. The exercise is expected to enhance the aesthetic appeal of Accra and promote a well-regulated outdoor advertising environment.
The authorities have emphasised the importance of compliance with the regulations, citing the need for public safety and a well-regulated outdoor advertising environment. The exercise is a step towards achieving this goal, and stakeholders are expected to work together to ensure its success.
Key points
- The Ghanaian authorities will remove unauthorised billboards in Accra on November 14, 2026.
- The exercise aims to promote public safety, ensure regulatory compliance, and maintain an orderly outdoor advertising environment.
- The authorities have urged all billboard owners and advertising agencies to comply with the identification deadline.
