Rita Naa Odoley Sowah
The Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, has disclosed the commencement of an exercise to regulate and standardise billboards and signage nationwide, beginning with the Greater Accra Region.
Speaking to the media as part of activities to mark the ongoing National Sanitation Week, Ms. Sowah, who doubles as the Chairperson of the 15-member Technical Committee on the Regulation and Standardisation of Signage across Ghana, said the initiative aims to address the uncontrolled spread of billboards and signage, which affects visibility, pedestrian safety, and the cleanliness of major cities.
According to her, the committee, working closely with Metropolitan and Municipal Assemblies, has already mapped out and removed some billboards in Accra, noting that more is expected to be pulled down in the coming days.
She stressed that notices have already been sent to some billboard owners, adding that most of the signages are temporary structures and assemblies have the authority to remove any that obstruct human view, road medians and pedestrian walkways.
The Minister cautioned owners of unauthorised or poorly sited billboards to take notice, emphasising that the exercise will continue as part of efforts to make Accra and other cities cleaner, safer and more accessible for pedestrians.
She therefore called on the public and billboard operators to cooperate with the committee, to ensure the successful execution of the exercise.
By Florence Asamoah Adom