DOAS BEGINS FIRST-PARTY, THIRD-PARTY COMPLIANCE DRIVE AND ENFORCEMENT EXERCISE
By: Ngozi Ufomba and Nuhu Ambi
The Department of Outdoor Advertisement and Signage (DOAS) of the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) has commenced a comprehensive First-Party and Third-Party Compliance Drive and Enforcement Exercise aimed at decongesting the city and sanitising outdoor advertising practices across the Federal Capital Territory.
The exercise targets First-Party billboards, defined as billboards located within five metres of business premises and used by companies to advertise their own products, whose owners have failed to meet their statutory financial obligations.
It also covers Third-Party billboards owned by outdoor advertising practitioners that have been erected on walkways, flower gardens, beneath high-tension electricity lines and other unauthorised locations.
Speaking during the compliance and enumeration exercise in Abuja, the Overseeing Director of DOAS, Dr. Azaki Sunday Kachiwoyi, said it was the responsibility of the agency to regulate outdoor advertising and signage in the nation’s capital.
Adding that he had observed upon assuming office that the city was congested with billboards that were improperly sited and did not conform to global standards.
Kachiwoyi noted that he had convened a general meeting with outdoor advertising practitioners in the FCT to discuss measures to decongest the city and ensure that billboard structures comply with existing regulations and standards.
According to him, the meeting resulted in an agreement to give practitioners 21 days to regularise their structures and comply with the stipulated requirements.
He explained that it was also agreed that enforcement action would commence after the expiration of the 21-day grace period against practitioners whose billboards remained non-compliant.
On First-Party compliance, Dr. Kachiwoyi said the department had previously issued bills to owners of First-Party billboards, but many had failed to settle their outstanding obligations.
He disclosed that DOAS had consequently commenced the placement of ‘X’ signs on affected billboards as warning notices.
“Those billboards with ‘X’ signs are warning signs. We are giving them 14 days within which to come to DOAS and pay their outstanding bills,” he stated.
The Overseeing Director warned that failure to comply within the stipulated 14-day period would attract full enforcement action, including the removal, sealing or impounding of the affected structures.
On Third-Party billboards, he said enforcement had commenced against structures erected on walkways, flower gardens, beneath high-tension electricity cables and other unauthorised locations.
He noted that such structures not only deface the city but could also pose safety risks to residents and other road users.
Dr. Kachiwoyi emphasised that the primary objective of the exercise was to ensure that the FCT remained clean, safe and orderly, while promoting compliance with established outdoor advertising regulations.
He also commended the Honourable Minister of the FCT, Chief Nyesom Ezenwo Wike, for his infrastructural development initiatives across the territory, particularly the construction of new roads.
According to him, the opening of new roads has created additional opportunities for DOAS to regulate outdoor advertising and generate more revenue for the FCT Administration.
The Overseeing Director therefore called on all affected First-Party billboard owners with ‘X’ signs to visit the department for reconciliation and settlement of their outstanding bills.
He also urged Third-Party outdoor advertising practitioners with improperly sited structures to voluntarily remove them to avoid enforcement action.
Dr. Kachiwoyi assured stakeholders that DOAS would continue to enforce compliance and promote a clean, safe and business-friendly outdoor advertising environment in line with the vision of the FCT Administration.
