Editorial: MMDAs Must Act Now Or Be Held Accountable

The National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) has issued a firm warning to Metropolitan, Municipal and District Assemblies (MMDAs) within the Greater Accra Region, threatening legal action against those who fail to remove unauthorised billboards from road medians by Monday, June 2, 2025.

Following a failed attempt at engagement, where many of the relevant assemblies failed to attend a crucial meeting, the NRSA has made it clear that it will resort to legal action against any MMDA that refuses to remove unauthorised billboards mounted along road medians.

This move, though unfortunate, is necessary and must be supported by all well-meaning Ghanaians.

The NRSA, led by its Director-General, Abraham Amaliba, has made multiple efforts to engage the assemblies. It initially provided a 21-day deadline for the removal of these hazardous structures and even attempted to convene a meeting to discuss the possibility of an extension. The intention was not to punish but to partner with the assemblies for a safer city.

However, the poor response and the reported “defiant posture” of assembly members leave the NRSA with little option but to escalate the matter through legal means.

Let us be clear: the billboards in question are not only unauthorised but dangerous. Erected haphazardly on road medians, many obstruct drivers’ views, distract attention and in some cases compromise pedestrian safety. This is not just a matter of regulatory compliance but a matter of life and death.

We are already grappling with an alarming rate of road accidents. According to data from the Motor Traffic and Transport Department (MTTD), thousands of lives are lost each year, due to a mixture of poor road conditions, indiscipline and infrastructural inefficiencies. Adding the menace of unauthorised billboards to this tragic equation only worsens the situation. These structures turn road medians, which are meant to enhance safety, into visual traps and collision points.

The refusal of the assemblies to attend a clearly communicated meeting reportedly due to a misunderstanding of the scope of the invitation is, at best, an excuse and at worst, a display of dangerous apathy. The Local Government Ministry transmitted the invitations and due diligence ought to have been done by each MMDA to clarify the matter if there was any confusion. The fact that assemblies outside Accra made the effort to attend, while those directly affected stayed away, is telling.

This dereliction of duty cannot continue to go unchallenged. Assemblies exist to enforce local laws, protect the public interest and ensure community well-being. When they fail to act or worse, when they appear to resist efforts aimed at protecting lives – they betray the very people they are meant to serve.

The NRSA must be commended for holding its ground and seeking to enforce the law through legal channels. Ghana needs more regulatory bodies willing to use the full extent of their mandates to compel action. Too often, leniency and endless engagements have allowed public institutions and private actors to flout regulations without consequence.

There is no justification for inaction. Assemblies should also take the initiative to audit all roadside infrastructure within their jurisdictions and ensure that every billboard, kiosk or structure conforms to safety standards and permits.

Now, the MMDAs must do their part by removing the unauthorised billboards and enforcing the law.

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