The management of Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency (LASAA) has reiterated its commitment to ensure effective regulation of the signage and billboards environment through out the length and breadth of Lagos metropolis.
The agency, to this end, has reassured stakeholders in the Out-of- Home advertising industry that contrary to some spurious claims making the rounds, it remains fully in charge and control of the regulation of the signage and billboard environment in the Lagos state.
In a statement issued by the Agency and signed by its Managing Director / CEO, Prince Adedamola Docemo, the agency said there is no iota of truth in the information that it had abdicated its regulatory functions to Loatsad Media, a private outdoor advertising company belonging to Mr Seyi Tinubu.
The agency described as total falsehood the information credited to a former military governor of Ondo State and chieftain of Peoples Democratic Party (PDP), Chief Bode George in a recent interview on Arise television station that Loatsad Media now regulates and controls the erection of billboards and signages in Lagos.
The statement added that LASAA remains the regulatory Agency for billboards and signages in Lagos State and assured advertising industry stakeholders to disregard the negative information that it had transferred its functions to manage the billboard environment to Loatsad Media.
The statement further reassured stakeholders in the advertising industry to disregard the false information, insisting that the agency remains in full control of the regulation of signages and billboards administration in the state.
Prince Docemo explained that Loatsad Media Limited, Owned by Mr Seyi Tinubu is merely one of the companies that has subjected itself to the rigorous process of registration with LASAA alongside over 200 other practitioners in the outdoor advertising space in the State as it is contained in the agency’s registry and website, www.lasaa.com
He stated that the current relationship with the Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) is a testament to the fairness with which the agency has demonstrated it’s regulatory functions with private sector practitioners since the past 14 years of its operations in the state.
He added that LASAA regulation provides a level playing field for all players, and It is therefore nothing more than wishful thinking, for any individual to insinuate that the Agency has yielded its fiduciary responsibility to an advertising company that it regulates.
According to the Agency Chief Executive, the organization believe in a liberal market economy where all players will compete for the benefit of the market, pointing out that since the company (Loatsad)is duly qualified to practice in the state , it would be unfair to deny it registration based on the personality of its owner.
He noted that the LASAA is a professional body with clear methods and processes and accordingly, it is not interested in politics and do not play politics in its operations and processes .
He further stressed that the LASAA model of operation has become a model template for many states to adopt in their effort to achieve sanity in their state, adding that, the outdoor advertising space and signages in Lagos are still under the regulation and control of LASAA which is statutorily empowered by law to carry out such responsibilities, hence it has not transferred such to any other organisation or group.
He noted that, since its inception, LASAA have been a reference point for outdoor advertising regulation as other States have copied its footprints given the high standards that is set for its management and the industry.
The Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency was established by the Lagos State Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency Law in 2006 and the amendment thereafter.
Since it’s existence in 2006, it has established guidelines to regulate and control outdoor advertising and signage displays in Lagos State.
The Agency which was established under the administration of former Governor of Lagos State, Asiwaju Bola Ahmed Tinubu as a response to the yearnings of the stakeholders in the out-of- home sector and reverse the chaos that existed when billboards and signage were erected without recourse to standards and public safety in Lagos.
Since it’ began operation, LASAA has added value to businesses and the advertising hoardings and it has become an out- of- home destination of interest for international investors and players.
