From Okey Sampson, Umuahia
The Deputy Governor of Abia State, Chief Ikechukwu Emetu has tasked advertising practitioners on the need to exhibit a high level of professionalism in their service delivery.
Chief Emetu stated this in Aba, the state’s commercial capital, during an advertisement stakeholders’ engagement forum with the theme “The future of outdoor advertising, challenges and prospects,” organised by Abia State Signage and Advertisement Agency (ABSSAA).
Emetu who said he was optimistic that after the engagement a new story would be told about advertising in Abia State, urged advertising practitioners to let consumers know what they would benefit from their services.
Emetu, represented by the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Caleb Ajagba, said the present administration in Abia State under the leadership of Dr. Alex Otti was striving to turn the state into an economic hub to attract investors.
He said the government was making sure an enabling environment that would make all shades of businesses thrive was put in place.
“When you stimulate demand through advertisement, people will want to buy the products, but where there are no access roads, it will be difficult to get the products.
“The present administration in the state is opening up access roads so that businesses can thrive. The governor is trying to make Aba and Abia in general an economic hub so that advertisements could not only be placed in the urban, but also in the rural areas.”
ABSSAA Managing Director/Chief Executive Office, Hon (Mrs) Victoria Dibunma Onwubiko said the engagement which is an annual event was put in place to repair relationships with industry players which was badly damaged through the unprofessional conduct of past regimes.
Onwubiko announced some policy measures which her agency had taken which in included that all billboards across the state which are owned by churches, schools or other private organisations and are more than 20 feet by 19 feet in size, must be handed over to a commercial agency to handle so as to enable government collect appropriate fees
She equally announced that the agency had taken over the management of all billboards in markets, while practitioners of both first party and third party must pay their annual dues as and when due to avoid sanction.
Onwubiko urged advertisement practitioners to always be guided by the agency’s regulatory policies which she said was designed to promote a fair, transparent and sustainable advertising environment.
In his keynote address, Dr. Shola Akinsiku, chairman of Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria (OAAN) said the industry is one that does not only serve the consumers, but also generates revenue for the government.
Highlighting the challenges facing the industry, Dr. Akinsiku said: “There is the challenge of charlatanism in the industry and also multiple taxation from the side of the government.”
He urged the industry practitioners to always follow changing market trends to remain in business.