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Stay away from rickety bill boards -AAG
The onset of heavy rains has sparked conversations about the safety and structural integrity of advertising panels and billboards scattered around major capital cities across the country.
This follows the annual ritual of damages often caused to vehicles and properties during rainfalls accompanied by strong winds.
With heavy rains predicted for 2026, starting with the February mix of normal and above-normal rainfall, residents are growing concerned about the stability and placement of such billboards.
A visit to some areas by The Spectator after the last rainfall revealed a few destructions to properties.
For instance, The Spectator team spotted a medium-sized billboard on Oxford Street in Osu that had fallen onto a closely parked car.
Despite the low number of incidents, the Executive Director of the Advertising Association of Ghana (AAG), Mr Isaac Cudjoe, has warned owners of vehicles to be mindful of where they park them.
That, he said, would go a long way to avert some of these unfortunate situations.
“This is an annual occurrence so I wish to advise owners of vehicles to stay away from rickety billboards. They become dangerous in such bad weather situations,” he indicated.
The danger, however, according to The Spectator enquiries is that there are quite a huge number of advertising agencies that operates without licenses from the AAG, making it difficult to regulate their activities.
Speaking in an interview, Mr Cudjoe stated that the AAG cannot be held responsible for the state of every billboard sited in the community because some the owners are not members of the Association.
As a result, activities of these advertising agencies were expected to be monitored and regulated by the local assemblies.
“Since these agencies are not our members, their activities are supposed to be monitored by the local assemblies. In fact, they have to inspect the location of these boards, check the soil texture, base and concrete works but the persistence of these problems suggests that some of these things are not done well,” he said.
Mr Cudjoe disclosed that AAG ensures that every member adhere strictly to standards set out by the Ghana Standards Authority; all in a bid to ensure quality of work and safety in times like the rainy season.
The AAG Executive Director disclosed that the Association was pushing for a bill through the Ministry of Trade, Agribusiness and Industry to make it mandatory for all advertising agencies to be licensed by the AAG as was the case in other countries.
“This is the case in South Africa, Kenya and Nigeria. It will go a long way to ensure that all agencies would operate under the same regulations. It will also empower the AAG to stretch its supervisory role in all advertising operations,” he stated.
This will also empower the AAG to control and regulate the rise of advertisement on social media and published by content creators, adding that, “This would ensure that the advertisement seen on the social media space meets the required standards.”
By Andrew Nortey
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The 29th Annual Dagaaba-Frafra Friendly Games have once again demonstrated that sports can be a powerful vehicle for cultural preservation, business networking, friendship and peaceful coexistence.
Held at the El-Wak Sports Stadium in Accra last Saturday, the games brought together members of the two ethnic groups from across Ghana and abroad for a colourful celebration under the theme, “Unity in Diversity: The Dagaaba-Frafra Model for Peaceful Co-existence.”
The event, which has evolved from a friendly football match into a major annual gathering, featured football, volleyball, sack races, lime and spoon, tug-of-peace and a penalty shootout for senior citizens.
At the end of the competitions, the Frafra won four events, while the Dagaaba secured victories in five, with the men’s soccer match ending in a draw.
The Frafra triumphed in the men’s lime and spoon, men’s sack race, women’s sack race and women’s soccer, while the Dagaaba won the women’s lime and spoon, men’s volleyball, women’s volleyball, women’s tug-of-peace and the senior citizens’ penalty shootout.
However, the games extended far beyond the sporting arena. The stadium grounds and surrounding spaces became a vibrant marketplace, with patrons enjoying and purchasing a variety of traditional foods, drinks and cultural products.
Local delicacies, including TZ, tubaani, bambara beans, pork, guinea fowl, local fowls, dog meat and kosie, were sold alongside traditional alcoholic beverages. Traditional dresses and other culturally inspired items also attracted buyers, turning the gathering into an important platform for small businesses and vendors to make sales while promoting northern Ghanaian culture.
The cultural exchange continued long after the final sporting contests, as patrons remained at the venue to eat, drink, socialise, dance and party well into the night.
In her remarks, the Guest of Honour, Dr Matilda Aberese-Ako, said the gathering represented much more than competition, describing the Dagaaba-Frafra relationship as a historic bond that had evolved into a modern sporting tradition and an instrument for peace.
MTN Ghana has been the headline sponsor for the games for the past 10 years.
By Gordon Wellu
By Gordon Wellu
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MTN Ghana has undertaken a tree-planting exercise at the Chipa Forest Reserve as part of its commitment to protecting the planet and support the restoration of degraded sections of the forest.
The activity forms part of the company’s 2026 Sustainability Month celebration held under the theme “Small Actions: Big Impact,” and its 30th anniversary celebration.
It was held in partnership with the Forestry Commission (FC) and the Rainforest Alliance with MTN Ghana supporting the restoration of approximately two hectares of degraded forest through the planting of 1,666 trees.
Due to the current dry weather conditions, 833 trees were planted during the exercise, with the remaining 833 to be planted when the rain commences.
The exercise brought together MTN employee volunteers, officials from the Forestry Commission and representatives of the Rainforest Alliance, demonstrating the importance of collaboration in driving environmental sustainability.
Speaking at the event, the Acting General Manager for Sustainability and Shared Value at MTN Ghana, Georgina Asare Fiagbenu, emphasized the critical role trees play in sustaining life and protecting the environment.
“Trees are essential to human survival and healthy ecosystems. They absorb carbon dioxide, release oxygen, regulate temperatures, protect soil, support biodiversity and provide habitats for many species. They also conserve water, reduce erosion and help communities adapt to the effects of climate change,” she said.
The District Manager of the Tema-Ada Forest Services Division of the Forestry Commission, Linda Ansah, welcomed MTN Ghana’s support, describing it as a valuable contribution to efforts aimed at restoring degraded sections of the reserve.
The Country Director of the Rainforest Alliance, Nicholas Jengri, also welcomed the partnership and emphasised the importance of collective action in addressing environmental challenges.
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