Femi Folaranmi, Yenagoa
The Bayelsa State Physical Planning and Development Board will from Monday, August 5, 2019, commence an extensive sanitization exercise for the removal of all unauthorized and illegal signposts, advertisement boards, electronic display screens, bills/posters and any form of outdoor advertisement in the state.
Executive chairman the board, Mr. Ebi Waribigha who stated this in a statement issued to newsmen in Yenagoa said the deadline given for their removal has elasped.
He explained that the action will commence following the flagrant disregard and disobedience to its earlier warnings against the indiscriminate pasting of posters and erecting/installation of signage and billboards within the state capital and its environs without due authorization from the board.
Mr Waribigha expressed dissapointment that in spite of notices served and several warnings both in the media and through written correspondence to defaulters, the state is still littered with illegal, irregular and offensive outdoor advertorials.
According to him, it is shocking to note that corporate organizations, churches and other worship centres, banks and other financial institutions, hotels and other hospitality outfits, hospitals and medical facilities have all littered and defaced the city with their adverts.
He noted that most worrisome is the extent to which the only flyover in the state is being defaced and littered by unapproved posters, signage and billboards.
The State Physical Planning and Development Board boss stressed that the provisions of law on outdoor advertisement is sacrosanct and used the opportunity to warn the public that no amount of blackmail and intimidation will stop the board from carrying out its statutory functions.
Mr Waribigha therefore called on individuals, corporate organizations, political aspirants, their supporters and/or agents acting on their behalf to visit the office of the board to regularize and obtain permit to avoid removal, forfeiture and /or prosecution as provided by law.