ENUGU — Enugu State Structure for Signage Advertisement Agency (ENSSAA) says it is now illegal for any person or group to erect billboards and structure for signage in the state without approval from the agency.
The General Manager of ENSSAA, Mr. Ike Ezugwu, stated this on Sunday in an interview with the News Agency of Nigeria (NAN) in Enugu.
Ezugwu said the law establishing the agency said licences and permits must be issued to individuals and organisations for the construction and placement of outdoor structures in any part of the state.
“So it is unlawful for any person to erect, construct, enlarge and operate outdoor structures without first being registered with the agency.
“And once we identify those without approval, we remove them and the owner bears the cost of removing it.
“It is our responsibility to control, regulate and monitor them.
“By licensing them, we have them in our database,” Ezugwu said.
He stressed that the agency was working hard to ensure that the state is rid of illegal billboards and posters, saying “if we stop regulating and controlling them, the environment will be littered with illegal billboards”.
The General manager explained that the agency was unable to cover all the 27 local government areas in the state due to insufficient manpower but maintained that they are gradually making success.
He, therefore, urged billboard owners in the state to register with the Agency, stating that what they pay forms part of government’s Internally Generated Revenue.
Ezugwu added that the agency collects 10 per cent as a cost of the collection while state and local government councils collect 40 and 60 per cent respectively from the monthly collections.
According to him, state and local government councils usually collect these levy which amounts to double taxation.
“The State House of Assembly later passed ENSSAA law by harmonising these collections and entrusted it to us,” he added.
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