The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has drawn a hard line between public safety and profit with a fresh ultimatum to all Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Greater Accra Region: take down all billboards mounted on pedestrian and vehicular footbridges within 21 days—or face enforcement action.
The directive, announced in a strongly worded statement, signals a renewed push by the NRSA to reclaim critical road infrastructure from what it describes as a dangerous misuse of public space.
“Bridges are for safe passage, not profit,” the Authority stressed, citing the national standard GS: 847:2019, which prohibits the use of bridge arches and gantries for advertising purposes. “Their sole function is traffic management, and we cannot compromise that for visibility or branding.”
The move comes amid growing concerns over the visual clutter and distractions caused by billboard advertisements placed above busy roads and walkways. Road safety campaigners have long warned that such practices not only reduce visibility but also divert attention from important traffic signage, especially in densely populated urban areas.
While advertising agencies and local assemblies often view these high-visibility spots as prime real estate, the NRSA says it’s time to prioritize what truly matters: human lives.
“This is not about stifling business,” the NRSA clarified. “It’s about keeping pedestrians and drivers alive. There is a time and place for advertising, and this is not it.”
Assemblies now have until the end of the 21-day window to dismantle all non-compliant billboards. After that, the NRSA has pledged to take direct action.
“The message is simple,” the Authority concluded. “If it’s on a footbridge, it must come down.”
