The Ghana Highway Authority (GHA) will on May 26, 2019, embark on a nationwide exercise to pull down unauthorized billboards which have been erected indiscriminately along the country’s road network.
The Authority has said a number of road accidents can be attributed to the numerous distractions on the country’s roads because of these billboards.
In an interview with Citi News, Public Relations Officer of Ghana Highway Authority, Diana Seade indicated that owners of the billboards will be surcharged with the cost of demolition if they fail to remove them before May 3 this year.
“Especially in Accra we will be destroying them and removing them from their location and if by the 3rd, advertisers do not remove them themselves and we remove them, we will surcharge them for it.”
In 2015, the Authority issued a similar ultimatum to owners of unauthorized billboards and signage along the Accra Tema motorway.
It issued a similar threat to surcharge the owners of billboards with the cost of the demolition.
The GHA said most of the billboards posed danger to both motorists and pedestrians.
The Authority said these billboards erected without consultation contravened Section 188 of the Road Traffic Regulations, Legislative Instrument 2180, 2012.
The GHA, therefore, advised owners of the billboards and signage to co-operate to ensure that roads are safer for both motorists and pedestrians.