Imo State Signage and Advertisement Agency (IMSAA) has called on banks, churches, hotels, private and public organisations to register with the agency before placing advertisements and bill boards.
A Special Adviser to the Governor on IMSAA, Dr Nina Nwulu, gave the advice at a sensitisation and enlightenment campaign held by the agency in some major roads in the state on Thursday.
She urged people willing to pay and place any billboard or bill to come to IMSAA office, off Concorde Hotel, n for enquieries and quideline.
Nwulu, also the Chairman of Board of IMSAA, described the Sen. Hope Uzodimma led administration as a government of order, adding that the clusters of signage and billboards is disfacing the state.
She said the agency was on an enlightenment campaign to educate and inform the public on the need for proper placement of adverts and billboards, adding that all payments must be made into the government’s Single Treasury Account.
“We are creating awareness in the state because very soon an enforcement team will move around to know the level of compliance to the instructions; so all concerned are encouraged to go and register with the agency.
“The aim is to make Imo one of the most beautiful states in Nigeria,” she said.
Nwulu said IMSAA was the only authorised agency of government mandated to regulate the placement of advertisement and signage.
Mr Uzoma Okoro, the Head of Operations, IMSAA Enforement Unit, said that no other agency had the mandate to regulate or collect taxes for the state government aside IMSAA.
“We have come to control double taxation and double payment.We have come to better the economy of the state. We have come to stop all arbitrary payments and all manner of touts and revenue contractors in this agency.
“We will do things well as it has to do with signage and advertisement in the state under the leadership of Dr Nina Nwulu.
“We want to bring sanity into the system. If someone comes to you and demands that you make a payment, ask him or her if it is from Nwulu.
“There is no need scattering advertisements and bill boards at every corner in the state. There is need for sanity. Indiscriminate placement of adverts will no longer be tolerated.
“IMSAA is a product of Imo State Law, before anyone should put any thing, they should contact IMSAA for quidelines, ignorance of the law is no excuse,” he said.
