By Jibril Abdul Mumuni
Accra, Dec. 18, GNA – Ms. Rita Na Odoley Sowah, the Deputy Minister of Local Government, Decentralisation and Religious Affairs, has directed owners of billboards and advertising signages mounted at unapproved locations to remove them immediately.
The Deputy Minister, who also chairs the Technical Working Group on Standardization and Regulation of Signages, announced that her Committee would, on Saturday, December 20, 2025, lead a major monitoring and enforcement exercise focused on regulating signage and removing billboards erected at unauthorised places.
Ms Sowah, gave the warning while addressing journalists on the sidelines of the ongoing National Sanitation Week activities on Wednesday.
The caution comes against the backdrop of the inauguration of the Committee by the Sector Minister, Mr. Ahmed Ibrahim with representation from institutions such as the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority, the Ghana Institute of Planners, the Department of Urban Roads, the Ghana Police Service, the National Road Safety Authority, the National Development Planning Commission, and the Advertisers Association of Ghana.
The Committee has already engaged with some Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) and identified and marked specific non-compliant structures for removal.
The exercise is part of the government’s broader urban management and beautification drive, aimed at ensuring public safety, environmental order, and visual harmony in cities and towns nationwide.
As Chairperson, Ms. Odoley Sowah emphasised the critical need for strict adherence to approved guidelines governing the installation of all billboards, shop signages, and outdoor advertising structures.
She noted that improperly mounted signages posed significant risks, including obstruction of visibility, distraction to motorists, structural hazards, and the degradation of the urban landscape.
The Deputy Minister stressed that the enforcement actions were not intended to stifle business activity but to promote order, safety, and compliance with planning regulations.
She reiterated that MMDAs had a responsibility to enforce signage regulations consistently and fairly and called on advertising companies, business owners, and property developers to cooperate with local authorities by seeking necessary approvals before mounting any signage.
Ms. Sowah indicated that the Technical Working Committee would continue to work closely with relevant agencies, including urban roads authorities and environmental health officers, to sustain routine inspections and enforcement.
According to her, the signage monitoring initiative complements the ongoing National Sanitation Exercise, reinforcing the government’s commitment to clean, safe, and well-organised urban spaces ahead of the Christmas festivities and beyond.
She assured that the Ministry would continue to engage stakeholders and the media to educate businesses on signage standards while maintaining firm enforcement against persistent violations.
GNA
18 Dec. 2025
Edited by Samuel Osei-Frempong