Residents of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) have been advised to pay their respective advertisement revenue to the Areas Councils where they operate their businesses and not to the Department of Advertisement and Signage (DOAS).
In a statement on Sunday in Abuja, signed by the management of Pro Tax Pro Nigeria Initiative, they warned that any business that continues to make payments to the Department of Advertisement and Signage (DOAS) of the Federal Capital Territory (FCT) was doing that at their own risk.
“Any individual or organization therefore who deals with DOAS, FCTA harmonized mobile advertising revenue for the six area councils or any other agency other than the six area councils or their technical partners with regards to mobile advertisements and signage’s (including mobile, 1st party and 3rd party advertisement) does so at his/her detriment and would be deemed to have contravened the area councils constitutional mandate on regulations of advertisements,” the statement said.
The company noted that with two court judgments nullifying the existence of the DOAS, it would be out of place for businesses to still make payment for advertisement and signage to the DOAS.
The statement read in part: “Following the judgment of the FCT High Court delivered on the 11th September 2020 by Hon. Justice Muawiyah Baba Idris of Court no. 26, Nyanya, Abuja, which is now on appeal no. ca/abj/cv/1082/2020 between Hon. Minister of the FCT and Metro Auto Workshop & 4 others.
“The Court held thus: the department of advertisement and signage of the FCTA is hereby nullified having been created contrary to section 1(3) and paragraph 1 (k) (i) of the 4th schedules to the constitution of the federal republic of Nigeria 1999 as altered”.
“The said judgment which nullified the Department of Advertisement and Signage (DOAS) has not been stayed by either the FCT high court or the court of appeal, the implication of this position in law is that (DOAS) is no longer in existence until the court of appeal says otherwise.
“Also, in the case of Pro Tax Pro Nigeria Initiative & 1 ors vs. Hon. Minister of FCT & 2 others suit no. cv/1646/2020, the FCT High Court presided by Hon. Justice K. N. Ogbonnaya made similar pronouncement nullifying the Department of Advertisement and Signage (DOAS) from usurping the constitutional revenue powers of the area council.”
The management of the company insisted that until the appeal filed by the FCT Minister is vacated at the Court of Appeal, the High Court judgment is still valid and subsisting in the eyes of the law.
“Consequently, the general public is by this notice advised to disregard henceforth all revenue collections with respect to advertisements and signage’s (including mobile, 1st party and 3rd party advertisement) by anybody under whatever name called including but not limited to DOAS or FCTA harmonized mobile advertising revenue for the six area councils as there is no such body known to law until the court of appeal decides on the two appeals pending before it.
The general public is by this notice advised to be properly and adequately guided,” the company said.
