LASAA warns against disregard of guidelines on deployment of political materials

As the campaigns for the 2023 elections begin, the Lagos State Signage and Advertisements Agency (LASAA) has appealed to political parties, politicians, campaigners and their supporters to adhere to the guidelines on the use of election campaign materials in Lagos State ahead of the 2023 general elections.

In line with its enabling law to control and regulate advert displays in Lagos state, LASAA said it is ready to assist and work with all political parties, politicians and campaigners in ensuring that they enjoy visibility in the state. LASAA is also set to ensure a level-playing ground for all political parties in the state.

It warned against disregarding the guidelines in the deployment of political campaign advertisement materials. The agency said in a statement that it will not hesitate to remove campaign materials deemed to have violated the agency’s guidelines for the usage of election campaign materials in Lagos State.

The statement by the LASAA’s Managing Director, Adedamola Docemo, explained that guidelines issued in accordance with the agency’s responsibilities on the use of billboards/wall drapes, banners, A-frames, and posters, to establish sanity and protect the environment from defilement, visual blight and other adverse effects of unregulated display of political campaign materials must be strictly adhered with.

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Docemo also noted that the guidelines were issued without prejudice to any political party, association or aspirant, stressing that “it is our intention to ensure fairness and equality amongst all concerned stakeholders, while judiciously performing our duties and applying the rules without sentiment or bias.”

According to the statement issued months ago by the agency titled , “Lagos State Signage & Advertisement Agency Guidelines On The Use Of Election Campaign Materials In Lagos State”, read in part:

“Billboards and Wall Drapes may only be deployed on existing structures owned and operated by Outdoor Advertising Practitioners who are registered with the Agency and have obtained permits for such sites and structures.

“A-Frame may only be placed on road verges, medians on inner streets and must not exceed a size of 2×1 meter (big size) and 0.5×0.5 meters (small size). It must have a distance of not less than 100 meters between each sign deployed which must be made of standard and sturdy materials to ensure that they do not drop or block the roads.

“Furthermore, banners may only be displayed on inner roads and streets, subject to the following conditions: Only if the banner is attached to the wall of a particular building with the consent/agreement of the building owners) limited to inner streets. Not to be tied to poles or public utilities (electric and telecom poles).

“Similarly, posters may be pasted on designated surfaces on inner streets only and are not to be seen on highways, major roads and high streets. Posters must not be pasted on public utility structures such as streetlamp poles, transformers, bridge pillars/ barriers, road directional sign, electrical poles and other unauthorized surfaces.”