Gov Chukwuma Soludo of Anambra State, on Sunday, November 20, gave Labour Party’s presidential candidate, Mr Peter Obi, a two-week ultimatum to clear the backlog of debts he owes the state for his campaign posters and billboards across the state.
Aside from Obi, the state Signage and Advertising Agency (ANSAA) also gave the same ultimatum to other candidates; as well as parties whose posters and billboards dot some parts of the state.
This was contained in a statement issued by the managing director of the agency, Tony Odili Ujubuonu.
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According to the statement, “Anambra State Signage and Advertisement Agency, through a letter dated 14th November 2022, urged all out-of-home advertising practitioners in the state to revalidate and register all their billboards.”
The letter stated that Soludo was taking steps towards sanitizing outdoor advertising practices in the state.
It read in part, “The agency expected maximum cooperation from the practitioners; in terms of registering their billboards and payment of campaigns but are yet to get such.
“As a result, the agency has directed all billboard owners to provide the information required to register each billboard.”
In addition, it urged them to also pay up for any campaign on the affected billboards.
‘Through this release, the entire political party candidates for the upcoming general elections are urged to make sure those handling their campaigns have made payments to the government to avoid ANSAA defacing their campaign materials.
“The agency has also given a two-week grace to make such payments or face legal enforcement. It has also gotten to the knowledge of the agency that some political party candidates are erecting billboards on their own ignorantly.
“The agency wants to state that this is not only wrong but illegal. Any such billboard would be brought down without any notice, the structure seized permanently and auctioned.
“This lasts between the 14th of November to 5th of December. It’s the wish of the agency that by the 5th of December 2022; all billboards in the state must have been duly registered and paid for, as legal enforcement starts immediately.”
