The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has issued a strong warning to metropolitan, municipal, and district assemblies that authorize the mounting of billboards on road medians, stating it will initiate legal action against them.
The warning follows a clearance exercise conducted in the Ayawaso West Municipality on Tuesday, during which the Authority dismantled several unauthorized billboards and structures said to obstruct motorists’ visibility and increase the risk of road crashes and pedestrian knockdowns.
Acting Director-General of the NRSA, Abraham Amaliba, explained that the decision became necessary after repeated directives to the assemblies went unheeded.
“We are hearing from the advertisers that it is the assemblies that allow them to mount these billboards. Any assembly that permits such practices will face legal action for engaging in an unlawful act,” Mr. Amaliba said.
He further disclosed that advertisers whose structures were removed would be required to pay administrative costs before reclaiming their signboards. Billboards that remain unclaimed after notice is served, he added, will be auctioned to recover costs.
“When we remove the billboards, the law requires the owners to compensate the Authority for the exercise. We will invite them to identify their billboards, settle the administrative cost, and retrieve them. If they fail to do so after notice, we will proceed to auction the billboards,” he stated.
The Authority reiterated its commitment to enforcing road safety regulations and ensuring that advertising practices do not endanger lives.
