Mohammed Adjei Sowah, Mayor of Accra.
The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) has lifted the ban placed on out-of-home advertising in October last year.
After almost three months of enforcement of the ban, the AMA in a release signed by Ayeh Datey, Metro Coordinating Director, said, “AMA wishes to inform the general public that the ban placed on out-of-home advertising has been lifted with effect from 22nd January, 2018.”
The release outlined procedures by which prospective advertisers could mount the various out-of-home advertisements.
“Advertisers can now purchase an application form, complete and submit to the address (The Secretariat, Accra Spatial Planning Committee, Physical Planning Department, Accra) for processing as per the new 2018 Smart Procedures and Standards Policy Framework,” the release stated.
The ban was necessitated by the haphazard mounting of billboards without permit at unauthorized locations in the metropolis.
The situation, according to the assembly, resulted in the collapse of billboards, which put the safety of city dwellers at risk.
Thus in a bid to sanitize the advertising space in the city, the AMA, in collaboration with key stakeholders and experts, developed a policy document that would address the challenges enumerated earlier and adopt innovative practices to exploit the huge potential that a well regulated and managed out-of-home advertising industry presents to the city of Accra.
The document, titled, “Smart Procedures And Standards for Out-Of-Home (Outdoor) Advertisement,” which will address the legal framework, standards and procedures for out-of-home advertising, is being implemented per the directive.
Meanwhile, the AMA has directed that all individuals, companies and organizations in the out-of-home Industry, should re-apply for renewal of permit(s) for 2018.
By Jamila Akweley Okertchiri