The Oyo State Government on Thursday issued a two-week ultimatum to individuals, corporate organisations, religious bodies, schools, petrol stations, Outdoor Advertising Practitioners and other users of the signage and outdoor medium in general who are indebted to the Oyo State Signage and Advertising Agency (OYSAA) to settle all outstanding payments running into millions of naira, saying that such defaulters’ structures shall be removed and confiscated.
The State Government also said that without approval by OYSAA, no individual or corporate bodies should embark on display or erection of any signage structures, noting that there must be proper consultation and approval given by the Agency before any action relating to outdoor advertisement is carried out.
The Director General, OYSAA, Pastor Yinka Adepoju at a ministerial press briefing held at the film Theatre, Ministry of Information, Culture and Tourism, Ibadan reminded political aspirants who may be interested in promoting or publicizing themselves in the forthcoming Local Government election and the general election in 2019 to respect and follow the guidelines of the Agency which compelled them to seek approval and pay for whatever structures they intend to use during their electioneering campaigns as failure to do so will attract appropriate sanctions.
Pastor Adepoju, who was with the State Commissioner for Information, Culture and Tourism, Mr. Toye Arulogun, stated that the Agency observed with dismay the indiscriminate way posters and banners are being deployed on fence walls, highway-roundabouts, public buildings, monuments and city landmarks by individuals, corporate organisations, Outdoor Practitioners, politicians amongst others, urging that those involved should stop forthwith as violators will henceforth be severely dealt with.
He appealed to practitioners and owners of abandoned structures to as a matter of urgency visit their sites and ensure such billboards are well maintained and properly tagged, explaining that unprofessional display on sites and neglect by owners have constituted a nuisance and eyesore on state roads.
Pastor Adepoju disclosed that OYSAA has put plans together under its Corporate Social Responsibility (CSR) project to give interested Corporate Organisations, Institutions, Professional Bodies, Advertisers and others who may be interested in “Exclusive Rights” to brand public places like parks and Gardens, Markets, Garages, Stadia, Bus Shelters and Advert Based Street Directional Signs, saying that this is in line with the Urban Renewal Programme of the present administration in the state.
The OYSAA DG enjoined all branded vehicle owners, cars or buses, to obtain their mobile advert stickers at the rate of N3,000 naira while truck and lorries are at the rate of N5,000 per annum, stressing that the only consultants approved by the Oyo State Government are in charge of selling the mobile advert stickers.
He warned Local Government Council officials claiming to be responsible for the mobile advert to desist from such or be ready to face the wrath of the law, adding “we make a clarion call to all stakeholders to respect the Agency’s Laws by fulfilling their obligations to government. All stakeholders are therefore enjoined to please respond to this clarion call as we believe the positive initiative of setting up OYSAA will provide limitless opportunities for better outdoor growth in Oyo State and humbly request that you all be part of it a more conducive and enabling business environment.”
