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We did not engage Ministry of information before flighting maskless billboards—Advertising Association

We did not engage Ministry of information before flighting maskless billboards—Advertising Association

The Executive Director of the Advertisers Association of Ghana, Francis Dadzie has confirmed that the COVID-19 advertising billboards were sprung up without the prior notice of the Ministry of Information.

According to him, his outfit had a several meetings with government representatives before work on the billboards began, but failed to consult the information ministry on the imaging and messaging.

Speaking in a media interview, Mr Dadzie assured that the billboards would be changed due to the controversies it was greeted with and the demand of the Information Minister, Kojo Oppong Nkrumah to pull them down.

He said the billboards would be changed to help government communicate the stipulated measures in the fight against COVID-19 to Ghanaians.

Mr Dadzie established that the cost of the redesigned billboards would be bore by DPP Ghana, the advertising company responsible for putting the images on the billboards.

“We have decided to change the images on the billboards immediately, and the expenses that will arise will be taken cared of by DDP Ghana,” he added.

The Government, through the Ministry of information on Sunday directed city authorities to remove the COVID-19 awareness billboards that featured President Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo without a mask.

The billboards which have sprung up in many parts of Accra advocating the need for mask-wearing as a measure in curbing COVID-19 show a giant image of the President without a mask.

Against this backdrop, Mr Nkrumah called for immediate pull down of the boards and urged advertising agencies to engage his outfit or the Presidential office for the right imaging and messaging to ensure effective communication.

The wearing of face masks became mandatory after the government lifted the ban on social movement to enhance economic activities in the country.

The Ministry of Health (MoH) also directed the citizenry to use face masks in all public places where it might be difficult to maintain social distancing.

The directive, the Ministry said was pursuant to section 169 of the Public Health Act, 2012 (Act 851).

Section 170 (1) of the Act “provides that the Minister of Health may order an individual to take a preventive measure in respect of public health matters.”

The directive urged transport operators, service providers, shop keepers, food vendors, passengers and the entire public to move out by wearing masks to mitigate the spread of the virus.

BY JOYCELINE NATALLY CUDJOE

Joyceline Natally Cudjoe

An Entertainment Columnist, Content Writer, Blogger, Novelist, Poet, and a Publicist. For business or story tip off, contact me on +233 24 646 6866 or email: [email protected]

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