Lagos orders TAN to remove posters from illegal spots

• Agbaje berates Fashola on housing, others

LAGOS State government yesterday ordered the Transformation Ambassador of Nigeria (TAN) and its affiliates to immediately remove campaign posters illegally pasted on street poles in the metropolis.

   And if TAN fails to comply, the government said the appropriate state agencies team would remove the posters in line with the enabling law setting up the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA).

   Managing Director of LASAA, George Noah, who conveyed the state’s directive on Wednesday, said the agency was constrained by recent developments in the electioneering campaign in Lagos to bring to the fore “the impunity and illegality” that posed immeasurable and long term damage to those who erect, operate and maintain billboards in the state.

  According to Noah, in the last 48 hours, two advertisers in the outdoor sector had terminated multi-million naira contracts with outdoor agencies registered by LASAA as a result of the illegality.

   He said the contracts were terminated as a result of the parallel and illegal deployment of President Goodluck Jonathan’s campaign materials on poles paid for by these advertisers.

   Noah said: “The two advertisers in question are Chinese Telecoms firm, Huawei and Globacom and the outdoor agencies affected are Touch Point Limited and Clearedge Limited. Both agencies have lost a whooping N350 million.

   “The illegal and brazen act by agents of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) is unjust, inconsiderate and therefore unacceptable at a time outdoor advertising is facing stiff competition from television, radio and social media.

   “The illegal act by the agents of the PDP is capable of destroying outdoor agencies in our state. It will almost certainly leads to lay-off of workers and loss of revenue for our stakeholders,” he stated.

   The LASAA MD added that in line with the agency’s statutory functions to regulate and control outdoor in Lagos, “LASAA hereby directs the Transformation Ambassador of Nigeria and its affiliates to remove all campaign materials illegally deployed on street lamp poles in Lagos State immediately, failing which our enforcement team will remove same in line with the enabling law setting up LASAA.”  

   It would be recalled that the State Commissioner of Police, Kayode Aderanti had some weeks ago threatened to arrest any state official caught removing any poster, either from designated or illegal spots in the state.

    Meanwhile, the state governorship candidate of the PDP, Mr. Jimi Agbaje, has accused the All Peoples Congress (APC)-led government of impunity and blackmailing the traditional institutions, religious leaders and civil servants.

   Agbaje also faulted the housing policies of the government, saying that it has only benefited the elite in the past 16 years.

   Speaking during a town hall meeting in Ifako-Ijaiye, Kosofe and Eti-Osa councils on the fifth day of his tour around Lagos, Agbaje lambasted the government of “withholding the certificates of traditional rulers in order to force them to toe the party’s selfish line.”

   He said the same treatment was often meted out to religious institutions, with the authorities deliberately delaying the issuance of land and registration documents to worship places like churches and mosques.

   Present at the occasion were: Agbaje’s running mate -Alhaja Safurat Olayinka Abdulkarim, Captain Shelle -Lagos State PDP Chairman, Mrs. Onikepo-Oshodi and Alhaji Rahman Owokoniran -Director General of the campaign team.

  According to Agbaje’s running mate, the people should reject a government, which, rather than improve their lives, had worsened their situation.

   “Is it those who demolish your stalls that you want to continue in office? Do you want the continuation of those who read through the Free Education policy of Awolowo and suddenly increased the fees of LASU students from N25,000 to N350,000?”