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NRSA Orders Removal of Billboards on Footbridges Within 21 Days to Enhance Road Safety

NRSA Demands Billboard Removal for Safer, Clearer Roads

All Metropolitan, Municipal, and District Assemblies (MMDAs) in the Greater Accra Region have received a strict 21-day deadline from the National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) to remove all advertising billboards and signage that are situated on pedestrian bridges and vehicle footbridges immediately. On April 14, 2025, the regulation was released in response to growing complaints about the improper usage of vital road infrastructure for commercial advertising. According to the Ghana Standards Authority’s Services-Advertising Specification for Outdoor Signs (GS: 847:2019), bridge arches, gantries, and similar structures must only be used for traffic and road management, not for advertising, as the NRSA pointed out.

The NRSA claims that because billboards atop these buildings cause visual diversions for both drivers and pedestrians, they represent a serious risk to road safety. The Authority underlined that these diversions may contribute to traffic accidents or make it more difficult to drive safely and effectively on major thoroughfares.

“This directive is part of our ongoing efforts to improve road safety and restore the primary function of footbridges, which is to facilitate safe pedestrian crossing and effective traffic management,” the NRSA stated in a public release.

The NRSA issued a stringent 21-day compliance window for assemblies, after which it threatened to take enforcement action against private marketers or non-compliant authorities. Legal fines for breaking national road safety standards and the forcible removal of illegal signage are two examples of these measures.

The Authority further stressed that public safety should not be compromised for advertising gains. “This goes beyond regulations—it’s about saving lives and ensuring road infrastructure serves its core purpose,” the statement read.

Safety advocates who feel that stringent enforcement is required to keep commercial interests from taking precedence over crucial public safety issues have praised the NRSA’s position. Everyone will be watching to see how quickly the MMDAs comply with the directive as enforcement approaches.

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Source: Citinews