By Ben Adoga
The Federal Capital Territory Administration through the Department of Outdoor Advertisements and Signages, DOAS is targeting the sum of N1. 650 billion for the year 2022.
While briefing the media Wednesday, Dr. Babagana Adams, Director, DOAS said the sum of N650 million would be generated from Signages while N1 billion is targeted from communication masts and towers.
The Director was not unmindful of the fact that her mandate is to generate revenue and that the department has been making progress.
He said DOAS also has the mandate to beautify the city instead of allowing clusters of signposts, plan Signages that will add to the aesthetic value of the city.
On the steady improvement, he said in spite of COVID 19 in 2019, revenue Generation rose from N333 million to N500 million.
In 2020, in spite of the COVID 19 pandemic lockdown, the department generated N600 million for the FCT Administration.
In 2021, the fund rose to N750 while for 2022, N1.650 billion is targeted.
“Since my assumption of office in May 2019, my first six months in office we realized the revenue that the department could not generate in three years, 2016, 2017.”
He assured that touting has been reduced to its nearest minimum and that with greater success touting would be eliminated, he, however, regretted the activities of illegal revenue officials dropping names of government officials, especially names in the authority of Abuja Municipal Area Council, AMAC and creating problems for residents and legitimate businesses in the FCT.
To achieve this, he said they met in Lagos and understudied the Lagos system while brainstorming with AMAC officials.
They further fine-tuned their Lagos meeting in Nasarawa State where all the stakeholders harmonized and agreed to the terms which have provided seamless operations.
Adams said their major dream for next year is to create a database of their customers so that they can appropriately make projections and plan with.
At the moment, a rough estimate shows that there are 784 billboards within and outside the Federal Capital City, FCC, 37 registered vehicles in the lady 12 months with Signages.
Above all, he noted: “We want to sensitize people to voluntarily comply.
To achieve harmony, he said they are working with AMAC revenue officials and have visited traditional leaders who have been sensitized to maintain the peace in communities.
