By Olasunkanmi Akoni

Barely three months to the 2015 general elections, Lagos residents have continued to be overwhelmed by the several campaign posters of various political parties, dotting the highways, streets, to compete for their attention, support and votes.

Worried by the indiscriminate ways, these campaign posters are pasted across the states, the Lagos State Signage and Advertisement Agency, LASAA, has threatened to sanction erring candidates and individuals who run afoul of its guidelines on the use of election campaign materials in the state.

LASAA official removing posters

The Managing Director/Chief Executive Officer of LASAA, Mr. George Noah, who gave out the warning, reiterated that the guidelines on the use of election campaign materials for the 2015 general elections in the state were issued in accordance with the agency’s responsibilities, and as provided under its enabling law.

One of these laws is the Structures for Signage and Advertisement Agency Law 2006 as amended, which regulates and controls outdoor signage, advertisements and billboards in Lagos State.

According to Noah, the guidelines were issued to establish sanity and protect the environment from defilement, visual blight and other adverse effects of uncontrolled, unregulated deployment and display of political campaign materials within the state during this electioneering period.

He stressed that “The guidelines are also issued without prejudice to any political party, association or aspirant as it is our intention to ensure fairness and equality among all concerned stakeholders, while judiciously performing our duty and applying the rules without sentiment or bias.”

He explained that billboards and wall drapes political campaigns may only be deployed on existing structures owned and operated by outdoor advertising practitioners who are registered with LASAA and have obtained permits for such sites and structures.

“Parties interested in deploying political campaigns may contact LASAA or owners of the proposed structure for clarification. 2. A-Frame may only be deployed on road verges, medians on inner streets and must not exceed a size of 1 x 1 meter (big size) and 0.5 x 0.5 meter (small size) and must have a distance of not less than 100 meters between each sign deployed.

“Banners may only be deployed on inner roads and streets subject to the following conditions: only if the banner is attached to the wall of a particular building limited to inner streets, and it is not to be tied to poles or public utilities (electric and telecom poles).

“Posters may be deployed on designated surfaces on inner streets only and are not to be deployed on highways, major roads and high streets. Posters must not be pasted on public utility structures such as street lamp poles, transformers, road directional signs, electric poles and other unauthorized surfaces.”

The agency in strong terms, warned political parties, aspirants and their supporters to refrain from the indiscriminate deployment of campaign posters and embrace the use of other creative and innovative platforms including: a stick in the ground, billboards, mobile adverts, among others.

According to Noah, aside risking prosecution, other penalties non-conforming political campaigns would be removed without recourse to the owners, even as he reminded politicians that all political campaign advertising materials must be removed immediately after the 2015 elections.