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The National Association of Nigerian Students (NANS) has strongly condemned what it described as intimidation tactics by the Department of Outdoor Advertisement and Signage (DOAS) within the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) against young entrepreneurs, particularly one of its ambassadors, Donald Amagbo.
In a Friday press release issued by NANS Secretary General, Comrade Anzaku Shedrack Ovye, the association expressed full support for efforts to protect the outdoor advertising industry in the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) from alleged exploitation by certain civil servants in DOAS-FCTA.
NANS accused these officials of operating as both regulators and private business owners, controlling most billboards in the FCT to enrich themselves.
The release specifically stated that these DOAS officials allegedly use security agencies, enforcement teams, faceless media groups, and pressure on Area Council officials to target Amagbo and other technical partners in the Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC).
Amagbo, a licensed advertising practitioner and former Public Relations Officer for NANS Zone C, is said to be under attack to safeguard the officials’ business interests.
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NANS warned that it may organise pickets at the DOAS and Federal Capital Development Authority (FCDA) secretariats if the actions are not halted by the Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC) and FCTA officials.
The student body further noted that since the Supreme Court already granted constitutional autonomy to Local Government Areas (LGAs), Area Councils must be allowed to operate without interference.
It urged the National Assembly to establish the Abuja Signage -Advertising Coordination Agency, in collaboration with a Board of Trustees to represent the Area Councils And the FCT Minister.
The association also recommended the implementation of the Advertising Regulatory Council of Nigeria (ARCON) Act for regulators and practitioners for advert in FCT and Area Councils to prevent non-professionals in the industry like seen in DOAS-FCTA.
“Hence, we will invite the Code of Conduct Bureau to investigate these DOAS-FCTA staff and prosecute them appropriately in order to remove the DOAS cabal and crises in this industry,” the association added.
