The Ministry of Roads and Highways has condemned the continuous defacing of public road infrastructure with unauthorised advertisements.
In a press statement from the Public Relations Unit on Tuesday, the Ministry stated that the practice was unacceptable and contravenes provisions of the Ghana Standards Authority’s “Advertisement-Specification for Outdoor Signs” (GS 847:2019) section 5, sections 11 and 15 of Act 540 and section 188 of LI 2180.
According to the Ministry, these outdoor advertisements are found on structures (billboards, signposts etc.) in the median and inappropriate locations at intersections of the road network, as well as posting notices on road signs, traffic signs and traffic controllers.
The Ministry outlined several negative impacts of defacing road infrastructure, including driver distractions, devaluation of infrastructure, poor aesthetics and misinformation to drivers.
It called on the Advertising Association of Ghana to enforce its code of conduct regarding outdoor advertisements and encouraged local assemblies to consult road agencies at the regional level before permitting adverts along the roads.
Additionally, the Ministry urged the Ghana Police Service to strengthen the enforcement of the LI 2180 to preserve and protect public infrastructure.
Richard Aniagyei, ISD
