The Accra Metropolitan Assembly (AMA) on Thursday said the erection of billboards by political parties on ceremonial streets is illegal and they should be removed by Friday July 27.

Mr Solomon Ofei Darko, AMA Chief Executive, explained in an interview with the Ghana News Agency in Accra that under the assembly's bye-laws it is an offence to erect political billboards on ceremonial routes.

He said the siting of unauthorised billboards of all sizes on ceremonial roads distracts landmarks aimed at beautifying such routes and gave bad impressions, especially to first time visitors.

Mr Darko noted that the haphazard and unprofessional way some of the billboards have been erected impede the visibility of motorists and could contribute to accidents on the roads.

He said the AMA allowed their erection during the electioneering campaign because of the purposes they were to serve.

However, after the elections these billboards have no particular purpose to the electorate and must be removed immediately. Mr Darko named the ceremonial routes as Airport area, Tetteh Quarshie Roundabout as well as routes leading to and from the Castle and the State House.

The Chief Executive said the assembly was allowing the parties to remove the billboards on their own but if they failed the assembly in collaboration with Advertising Association of Ghana would remove them.

They would not be destroyed but kept by the association.