NRSA Threatens Legal Action Against Accra Assemblies Over Illegal Billboards
The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has issued a firm ultimatum to Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) within the Greater Accra Region: remove all unauthorised billboards from road medians by Monday, 2 June 2025—or face legal action.
This warning comes after what the Authority described as a failed engagement with the assemblies. A scheduled meeting intended to outline a compliance roadmap saw poor attendance, with many of the targeted assemblies failing to participate.
NRSA Director-General, Mr. Abraham Amaliba, expressed frustration over the outcome, calling the assemblies’ conduct both disappointing and uncooperative.
“We invited all of them through the Local Government Ministry,” Mr. Amaliba explained during a media briefing. “Unfortunately, there was a misunderstanding. Some assemblies from outside Accra attended, thinking the invitation was nationwide. However, those within Greater Accra—the actual focus of the meeting—failed to show up. We consider this a clear act of deliberate noncompliance.”
The NRSA had hoped the meeting would provide a platform for dialogue and possibly grant an extension to a previously issued 21-day removal deadline. With no meaningful engagement from the relevant assemblies, however, the Authority says it has no choice but to resort to legal action.
“This sends a message that they are not interested in complying. So, what we are going to do is meet them in court,” Mr. Amaliba stated firmly.
The NRSA continues to stress that unauthorised billboards, especially those mounted on road medians, present a serious hazard to road users. The Authority argues that their removal is critical to ensuring safer roads for both motorists and pedestrians.
Initially accompanied by a 21-day compliance notice, the directive now carries the additional weight of impending litigation for any MMDA that fails to act by the new 2 June deadline.
The move marks a significant shift in the NRSA’s enforcement strategy, signalling a tougher stance as authorities work to bring order to the increasingly cluttered and hazardous landscape of urban signage across the capital.
Credit: myjoyonline.com
