KWASAA Explains Removal of Billboards on Some Major Roads in Kwara

Hammed Shittu in Ilorin

The Kwara State Signage and Advertisement Agency (KWASAA) at the weekend said that the new directive on the removal of billboards on some major roads in Ilorin, the state capital, is to enhance the aesthetic and infrastructural development of the state.

The agency, however, directed that all billboards and signage owners, including private and government entities, should immediately remove all forms of outdoor advertisements erected along the Ahmadu Bello Way, including the first flyover to the second flyover, along Murtala Muhammad Way in Ilorin.

The development, according to THISDAY checks, might not be unconnected with the recent removal of the billboards erected by the Senator representing Kwara Central senatorial district in the National Assembly, Saliu Mustapha, to greet Christians for the just concluded Christmas and new year celebrations in the state.

Senator Mustapha’s billboard at Police ‘A’ Division was removed because of the construction work in the area.

“The company handling the construction work on the overhead bridge had marked that the billboard in that area should be removed, while the billboard at Maraba was not paid for by the senator. This is against the advertising law,” according to the agency then.

Since then, the removal of the billboards  had continued to spark controversies between the agency and the lawmaker in the state.

However, a statement issued in Ilorin by the General Manager of the KWASAA, Alhaji Imam Ismail Asukuti, which was signed by the agency’s Press Secretary, Mr. Abubakar  Owolabi, however, urged the affected individuals, ministries, parastatals, agencies, and commissions to comply immediately.

According to him, “This directive is part of the government’s commitment to the growth, development, and transformation of the state, particularly in advancing its city reform agenda.”

He called on stakeholders in the outdoor advertisement industry and the public to adhere strictly to the directive.

Asukuti emphasized that it was aimed at enhancing the aesthetic and infrastructural development of Kwara State.

The general manager further assured the public of the agency’s dedication to creating an organised and visually appealing environment across the state.