The Chairperson of Parliament’s Committee on Local Government and Rural Development, Queenstar Pokuah Sawyerr, has called on the Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) to intensify efforts to remove unauthorised billboards and signboards along major roads in Accra. She stated that these structures, particularly along road medians, undermine the city's beauty and obstruct motorists' visibility, posing serious road safety concerns.
Madam Sawyerr made the call when officials of the AMA, led by the Metropolitan Chief Executive, Michael Kpakpo Allotey, appeared before the Parliamentary Committee to respond to 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 measures being implemented by the AMA to remove unauthorised structures and restore the beauty of road medians across the capital.
Madam Sawyerr, who is also the Member of Parliament for Agona East, emphasised that the Assembly's enforcement efforts should focus more on permanent unauthorised structures, including containers, billboards, and signboards, which encourage further encroachment on public spaces. She argued that petty traders operating from tables were often not the biggest challenge facing the city.
According to Madam Sawyerr, removing petty traders without addressing the permanent structures would not resolve the problem. She stated that if there are no containers and no structures, traders will not gather the courage to put up tables. Madam Sawyerr stressed that the Assembly must pay particular attention to structures that obstruct motorists' vision and compromise road safety.
Madam Sawyerr advised the AMA to deal with billboards and those putting up unauthorised signboards and things without permission. She highlighted that the most important thing is to address structures that block the view of drivers, especially.
Responding to the concerns, Mr Allotey said the AMA had already begun removing unauthorised billboards and signboards from road medians and had formed a team to support the enforcement exercise. He stated that the Assembly had encountered resistance in the past when it gave prior notice to owners, and therefore, does not need to give notice since they do not have permission.
The AMA's removal exercise aims to restore the beauty of Accra's road medians and address road safety concerns. The Assembly's efforts are expected to focus on permanent structures that pose a significant challenge to the city's development. Key discussions on the issue took place between the AMA officials and the Parliamentary Committee.
Key points
- MP Queenstar Pokuah Sawyerr urges AMA to focus on removing permanent unauthorised structures.
- AMA has begun removing unauthorised billboards and signboards from road medians.
- The removal exercise aims to restore the beauty of Accra's road medians and address road safety concerns.
