The National Democratic Congress government has issued a firm warning to owners of advertising billboards and shop signages erected without approval or mounted at unauthorised locations, signalling a decisive shift from caution to enforcement in the regulation of outdoor advertising across the country.
The Deputy Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Rita Naa Odoley Sowah, made it clear that improperly mounted signages must be removed by their owners or face demolition by the state.
Her caution comes ahead of a major monitoring and enforcement exercise scheduled for Saturday, 20th December 2025, which will focus on removing unauthorised billboards and outdoor advertising structures.
Sowah, who also serves as Chairperson of the Technical Working Group on the Standardisation and Regulation of Signages, disclosed that the Committee has already engaged several Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) as part of preparatory work.
Through these engagements, a number of offending structures have been identified, marked, and earmarked for removal during the upcoming exercise.
The enforcement operation, she explained, is part of a broader government agenda on urban management and beautification, aimed at promoting public safety, restoring environmental order, and improving the visual appeal of cities and towns nationwide.
Speaking to journalists on the sidelines of activities marking the ongoing National Sanitation Week, the Deputy Minister stressed that poorly mounted signages pose serious risks to public safety.
According to her, such structures often obstruct visibility, distract motorists, present structural dangers, and contribute to the deterioration of the urban environment.
She was quick to clarify that the enforcement drive is not intended to undermine business activity or advertising enterprises. Rather, she said, it seeks to ensure orderliness, safety, and strict compliance with planning and spatial regulations governing outdoor advertising.
Rita Sowah further reminded MMDAs of their statutory responsibility to enforce signage regulations in a consistent and fair manner.
She urged advertising companies, business owners, and property developers to work closely with local authorities and ensure that all billboard and signage installations receive the required approvals before they are mounted.
According to the Deputy Minister, the Technical Working Committee will sustain collaboration with key agencies such as the Department of Urban Roads, environmental health officers, and other regulatory bodies to carry out routine inspections and enforcement beyond the December exercise.
She added that the signage monitoring initiative is closely aligned with the ongoing National Sanitation Exercise, reinforcing government’s commitment to clean, safe, and well-organised urban spaces ahead of the Christmas festivities and beyond.
She also assured the public that the Ministry will continue engaging stakeholders and the media to educate businesses on approved signage standards, while maintaining a firm stance against persistent violations.
The renewed enforcement drive follows the inauguration, over two months ago, of a multi-sectoral Technical Working Committee by the sector Minister, Ahmed Ibrahim.
The Committee includes representatives from institutions such as the Land Use and Spatial Planning Authority, the 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, among others. Its mandate is to harmonise standards and strengthen regulation within the signage and outdoor advertising space.
Meanwhile, the Minister for Local Government, Chieftaincy and Religious Affairs, Ahmed Ibrahim, has reiterated government’s broader commitment to restoring cleanliness and order nationwide through the ongoing National Sanitation Week initiative.
Addressing the media on Wednesday, 17th December 2025, after visiting Okaikwei North, Ga Central, Ga North and Ga South MMDAs, the Minister observed that many Metropolitan, Municipal and District Chief Executives (MMDCEs) have responded positively by moving onto the ground to ensure their jurisdictions are clean and prepared for the Christmas celebrations.
Ahmed Ibrahim emphasised that the National Sanitation Week is not a one-off exercise but part of a wider national reset agenda aimed at making Ghana clean, orderly, and visually appealing.
He indicated that sanitation activities will continue beyond the designated week, gradually evolving into a sustained, round-the-clock sanitation culture across the country.
As part of complementary measures, the Minister revealed that Regional Ministers have begun distributing streetlights to MMDAs nationwide to illuminate streets and public spaces.
This, he said, is to ensure that by Saturday, 20th December 2025, the country is not only clean but also well-lit and safe.
He commended the media for its consistent role in amplifying sanitation messages and holding duty bearers accountable. At the same time, he urged MMDCEs to show leadership and internal motivation, stressing that progress at the local level must not depend solely on external pressure.
The Minister also cautioned that unannounced monitoring visits will continue, warning that with the combined force of media scrutiny, field inspections, and the National Complaint Centre, accountability across local government structures will be significantly strengthened.
Together, the sanitation campaign and the signage enforcement drive signal government’s determination to restore order, safety, and aesthetic discipline to the urban spaces as the festive season approaches and into the new year.
