APCON Faults LASAA On Regulations Of Advertisement
The Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria (APCON) has criticized Lagos State Advertisement Signage Agency, (LASAA) over its regulation of advertisement in the state, saying the state advertisement agency is currently usurping its role.
The APCON Registrar and Chief Executive Officer, Alhaji Bello Garba Kankarofi who stated this in a statement made available to journalists said it is a body set up by the Federal Government to regulate and control advertising practice in the whole country, including Lagos State.
APCON pointed out that, “The Lagos State Signage Agency which was established in 2006 to regulate and control outdoor advertising and signage displays in the state has in recent times attempted to usurp, though illegally some of the statutory functions of APCON, in the areas of regulating communication contents in outdoor advertisement structures and signages. APCON has however vowed to resist such illegality.
“Indeed, LASAA laws are crystal clear on the issues pertaining to regulation and control of signages and outdoor structures with a view to modernize, standardize and regulate streets-cape so as to benefit the state citizens and visitors alike, however, no aspect of the state’s agency laws confers on LASAA the absolute powers to regulate or control communication contents and messages on signages, structures or streetscape.”
APCON boss added that, that particular responsibility strictly fall under their purview as the regulatory agency of the Federal Government of Nigeria.
“As a matter of fact Decree No. 55 1988 establishing APCON, states clearly that the agency has the powers to regulate and control advertising and advertisement businesses in all aspects and ramifications. Since its creation in 1990, APCON has faithfully, diligently and dutifully kept to its statutory responsibilities and have greatly guaranteed sanity, decency and ethical practices in the industry.
“But lately LASAA, a state agency set up through an edict, in a clear demonstration of impunity, has risen up to challenge APCON which derives its regulatory powers through the Federal Act of Parliament.
“ This, the agency has done by impeding APCON in regulating clusters, unwholesome communications messages that were unethical and un-vetted by small business owners in the metropolis.
Specifically, APCON which has hitherto been hugely bogged down by the challenges posed by advertising agencies, multinational businesses as well as the prolonged absence of an APCON council has now turned its searchlight on small scale businesses which inscribe deceitful and unwholesome messages on their signages and outdoor structures in Lagos metropolis.”
Kankarofi said, the agency decided to take action on this category of advertisers in a bid to bring sanity to the system and protect members of the public from the consequences of misleading and inaccurate advertising communications.
“It is in an attempt to fulfill these obligations that LASAA has suddenly jumped into the fray insisting albeit illegally that the federal regulatory agency has been encroaching on its regulatory territory, even though the law states otherwise,” he said.
The APCON registrar lamented the latest outbursts and impunity by LASAA boss whom he said has been holding his present position in deliberate contravention and abeyance of the Nigerian constitution setting up APCON.