NRSA to sue assemblies over failure to remove illegal billboards

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) is preparing to take legal action against Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Greater Accra Region that have failed to remove unauthorised billboards endangering road users.

Acting Director-General of the NRSA, Abraham Amaliba, had previously issued a 21-day ultimatum on April 30, directing the assemblies to dismantle all illegal billboards. However, most of the MMDAs have reportedly ignored the directive.

Speaking to journalists, Mr. Amaliba confirmed that inspection teams would be deployed to assess compliance across the capital. Assemblies found to have disregarded the directive will face legal consequences.

“For now, we are proceeding on the basis that they have attended this programme, and we are going to proceed on the basis that we have met them, and so we are going to enforce the law,” he said.

The NRSA’s planned enforcement follows a failed attempt to engage the assemblies in dialogue. A stakeholder meeting organised by the NRSA on Thursday, May 29, aimed at addressing the illegal billboard issue, saw no representation from any of the invited MMDAs—despite official invitations sent through the Ministry of Local Government and Rural Development.

“The meeting was to bring together all the stakeholders, including the MMDAs and the advertising association executives,” Amaliba said. “The issue has become a matter of national concern, and so I had wanted to meet them today and to give them a grace period within which they take off all those illegal billboards in their jurisdiction.”

Frustrated by the snub, the NRSA says it will proceed as planned, with Mr. Amaliba adding: “Their failure to come means that they are not interested. So what we can do is to appear in court with them.”

Illegal billboards, according to the NRSA, are not only unsightly but pose significant risks to public safety. The Authority has raised concerns particularly about billboards mounted on road medians and near intersections, which obstruct drivers’ visibility and create distractions.

Amaliba reiterated that while some assemblies had begun addressing the issue, many had failed to act. The NRSA, he explained, is now pushing to reassert its regulatory authority and correct years of inaction.

He stressed that the ultimate goal is to compel local authorities to take responsibility for maintaining safe and orderly road environments.