Government has expressed worry about the frequent collapse of outdoor advertising billboards anytime there is a rainstorm.
Speaking to Citi Business News after a visit by the Advertising Association of Ghana(AAG), a Deputy Minister for Trade and Industry, Carlos Ahenkorah, hinted of working with the Association to regulate the industry.
“There are challenges in the industry especially when people indiscriminately decide to advertise anywhere, putting billboards here and there and refusing to test the structural integrity of those huge and large billboards that they put on the streets,” he lamented.
“Many of them[billboards] come down at the little wind blast. I’m sure that you have seen some on the streets where huge billboards come down because the structural integrity was not tested before it was put there,” he added.
Describing the development as a threat to motorists, Mr. Ahenkorah stated that, government will work with the Association to improve standards in the industry.
He added that, the regulation will also streamline activities in the industry, and instill discipline by prescribing standards for players.
“We are going to make sure as a government that this does not persist because if we allow it to go on, it means that people will always get into the fray and just do what they want and go away,” he said.
Touching on the indiscriminate placement of billboards, Mr. Ahenkorah observed that, the industry can learn from advanced countries.
“When you walk around you see a lot of billboards scattered on our streets. In certain jurisdiction you don’t see these things. You see the advertisement on buildings and that’s it, but here sometimes billboards are even blocking the view of motorists and causing accidents. So it is welcoming news if the AAG says they want a legislation which would control all these,”he said.
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By: Lawrence Segbefia/citibusinessnews.com/Ghana