Following the failure of the leadership of the opposition National Democratic Congress (NDC) to comply with the directive of the Assembly as regards the need to acquire permits for their billboards, the Effutu Municipal Assembly has demolished all the party’s billboards and similar structures across the municipality.

This move follows media reports about recent operations targeting individuals, institutions, and organizations that erected billboards without proper authorization.

According to the assembly’s regulations, permits are required before mounting any billboard within the municipality.

Since 2021, the assembly has conducted awareness campaigns to inform the public about the need for permits and has periodically removed unauthorized billboards.

In August 2024, the assembly identified unauthorized political party billboards belonging to the National Democratic Congress (NDC) at Klimivic Junction, the University of Education, Winneba North Campus entrance, and Sankor.

A formal request was made to the Effutu Constituency Chairman of the NDC on August 21, 2024, asking the party to remove the billboards until the proper permits were obtained.

Despite assurances from the NDC leadership, the party failed to comply.

As a result, the Assembly took action on September 12, 2024, to remove the unauthorized billboards.

The Effutu Municipal Assembly emphasizes its commitment to enforcing regulations and encourages all individuals and organizations to obtain the necessary permits before erecting any advertising materials.

According to the assembly, its doors are open for individuals, groups, and businesses who wish to have billboards erected to come for discussions.

Read the full press statement below:

Unauthorized bill board demolition by the Effutu Municipal Assembly:

The Effutu Municipal Assembly has taken notice of media reports regarding a recent operation to remove all unauthorized billboards by individuals, institutions, and organizations within the jurisdiction of the Municipality without recourse to the Authority of the Assembly as stated by the law.

As per the regulations governing the operations of the Assembly, individuals and organizations who/that seek to mount billboards at any location within the Municipality require permits from the Effutu Municipal Assembly before any such activity can be executed.

The Assembly has since 2021 undertaken sensitization programs in the media to encourage individuals and organizations to obtain permits before erecting billboards at various locations within the Municipality. These have been followed up with periodic operations to remove unauthorized billboards in the area.

The Assembly in August 2024 noticed the unauthorized erection of political party Billboards belonging to the National Democratic Congress at Klimivic Junction, the University of Education, Winneba North Campus entrance, and Sankor all in the Municipal Capital of Winneba. Subsequently, a letter dated August 21, 2024, with reference number EMA.03/30/07/34 was addressed to the Effutu Constituency Chairman of the National Democratic Congress admonishing the party to do the needful by removing the unauthorized billboards at the mentioned locations until the permits to allow them to do so were obtained.

The leadership of the Assembly continued engaging the hierarchy of the party in the Central Region which promised to obtain the said permits as stated by law.

After several assurances by the NDC leadership failed, the Assembly on September 12, 2024, undertook an exercise to remove the unauthorized political party Billboards at the said locations.

The assembly will continue to work within the law to sanitize the system. We therefore encourage all individuals and organizations who seek to mount all forms of advertisement materials including billboards to obtain permits before doing so.