The Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG) has revealed that over 60% of billboards in the country are illegally erected, with many lacking proper documentation and ownership details.
This revelation comes amid growing concerns about billboards and signposts being placed in unsafe and unauthorized locations, such as pedestrian walkways, highway medians, and intersections, posing significant risks to public safety.
Speaking to Citi News, the President of AAG, Andrews Ackah, expressed deep concern over the situation, noting that many billboard installations bypass legal procedures, making regulation difficult.
“Our investigation shows that most people do not comply with these and make it very difficult for anyone to monitor how these illicit billboards are in place. From our investigation, we can place on record that there are about 50-60% of the billboards that we do not know who owns them.”
He warned that the continued disregard for proper regulations could lead to serious safety hazards in the future.
“This puts a question mark on the conscience of all of us. We strongly believe that the persons who, because of the illicit way of mounting billboards, do not go through the right procedure,” he stated.
Ackah also pointed out the chaotic nature of billboard placement in Accra, where advertisers compete for visibility, often disregarding zoning and safety regulations. He linked this trend to political interference, particularly during election seasons.
“This is compounded by the political cycle. Anytime there is an election coming up, you see all these billboards spring up anywhere, and those who mount these billboards do so while utilising the political favour they may be getting from the party to mount these billboards anywhere. What is also witnessed is that they are also mounting these billboards on the medians of the roads,” he lamented.
