By Ben Adoga
The Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA) Department of Outdoor Advertisement and Signage (DOAS), has disclosed that the administration loses about N500m revenue annually from telecommunication masts erected illegally without approval in the territory.
FCT DOAS Director, Dr. Babagana Adams stated this among others while interacting with some Journalists in Abuja on Thursday.
He said available records with the FCT Administration since inception of the Department, showed that 350 masts in the City Centre of the FCT have no approval.
The Director said some companies only paid for permit, and refused to pay the processing fee of N 1, 500, 000 and go ahead and erect their masts and towers, which he described as an illegal arrangement.
Adams said: “We have lost about N500 million revenue to illegal masts and towers in the territory.
“The permit for erecting a mast is N20,000, the processing fee is N1, 500 . But many don’t pay, they only pay for the permit and go ahead erecting their masts and towers.
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“We discovered this when some communities laid the complain to National Assembly, that the noise from the towers was affecting them, and need to be addressed.”
He revealed that in the whole of the nation’s capital, Abuja only 320 masts and towers that had certified approval.
On measures to be taken against the illegal masts, Adam said necessary steps are taken to ensure that the enforcement didn’t violate human rights.
