RISAA denies demanding fees from printers

The Rivers State Signage and Advertisement Agency (RISAA) said it has not demanded for any fees or levies from printers in Rivers State.

This follows rumours that the agency had demanded fees from printers.

The agency in a statement on Monday said that Anthony Okeah, the Acting Managing Director, on the 23rd of August 2019 held a stakeholder meeting with the Printers Association in Port-Harcourt and issues surrounding the proper display of banners and advert posters were discussed.

“The MD expressed the need for the Agency to curb the incessant display of posters and flex banners indiscriminately on public furniture defacing the city and state.

“It was discussed that from henceforth, clients who patronize printers will need to get approvals/permits from RISAA to track and control the exposure of their various materials for proper disclosure upon expiration of event.

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“This is in line with the Agency’s “Clean the City” initiative, whereby a minor levy will be charged to persons who intend to print posters and flex banners within the state.

“This minor levy charged is meant to cover up logistics for the Agency to clean up the city and bring back decency and cleanliness to the state.

“Posters and flex prints also serve as a form of outdoor exposure and are gradually defacing the city”.

The agency said that in 2015, the need to bring order to the regulation, practice, and management of outdoor signage, advertisement and hoarding became very necessary, the aim of ensuring that outdoor advertisements become an organized and veritable source of revenue for the two tiers of government in the state, the Rivers State Signage and Advertisement Agency (RISAA) was established by law No 2, 2015 of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

It said that by the provisions of its mandate, the agency is the only organization empowered by law to register, collect and issue permits to all owners/operators of billboard and other forms of outdoor signage in Rivers State.

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“However, failure to comply within a stipulated time frame attracts some level of punitive measures which includes fines/penalty for non-compliance, confiscation of outdoor structures as well as imprisonment upon conviction by courts of competent jurisdiction”.

It said that it is not vetting contents on prints neither is it demanding for fees from Printers.

The agency said it is seeking for clients/customers to get verification and code from the Agency before they print and requesting for a minor levy from clients/customers to serves as logistics for Cleanup.