According to the office of the former president, the billboard was erected by Alliance Media, a reputable Ghanaian advertising firm, but was dismantled despite the company's adherence to all necessary regulations and payment of annual fees.
“Alliance Media, a legally registered Ghanaian advertising business, has the rightful permission to mount Out-of-Home (OOH) and Digital Out-of-Home (DOOH) sites nationwide,” stated a spokesperson from the Mahama Campaign. “Therefore, it is utterly unacceptable for the TMA chief executive to tear down their legally placed billboard, which the Mahama Campaign rented and paid for.”
The Mahama Campaign expects Alliance Media to pursue legal action against the TMA for this action. They also issued a stern warning to both the TMA chief executive and the New Patriotic Party (NPP), cautioning that such provocative actions, which could incite political clashes and violence, harm the democratic process.
A statement signed by Mahama's special aide and spokesperson for his campaign, Joyce Bawah Mogtari, cited a similar occurrence in the Ablekuma North constituency, where the NPP allegedly blocked a billboard put up by the NDC parliamentary candidate. The statement lamented that despite these provocations, institutions like the National Peace Council, along with religious and civil society organisations, are looking on unconcerned.
“The Mahama Campaign wishes to caution that such acts will no longer be tolerated. If they persist, we will be compelled to instruct our members to take necessary measures to prevent such acts across the country,” warned the campaign spokesperson. They urged the NPP to engage in peaceful campaigning and to respect others' rights to advertise their political messages. “Violence and destruction of property have no place in our political discourse.”
President Mahama, in an opinion piece published on Tuesday, emphasised the need for “peace and decorum in our political discourse, especially in the run-up to high-stakes elections such as those we face in December this year.”
As the nation gears up for the upcoming elections, the call for peaceful and respectful political engagement has never been more crucial. The Mahama Campaign's firm stance against provocative actions highlights the importance of maintaining democratic principles and ensuring a fair electoral process.