By Remi Johnson
The Federal Capital Territory Administration’s Department of Outdoor Advertisement and Signage, DOAS says it is targeting #650m revenue from DOAS and one billion naira from telecommunication Mast and Towers.
Director of DOAS, Dr. Babagana Adams who made this known during a briefing in Abuja said it generated the sum of one billion, one hundred and seventy five million naira (1,175,000,000.00) in the last three years.
Dr Adams revealed that the Department had discovered 26 illegal mast and towers in the territory, and visited 17 chiefdoms across the six area councils to make them understand the activities of DOAS.
According to Dr Adams, amidst the COVID 19 challenge, DOAS generated far beyond what it used to generate before he took over the mantle of leadership.
His words: “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 and 2018. We raised an amount of three hundred and thirty-three million naira within the period.We generated five hundred million naira in 2019 which is more than the past years… we are going higher everyday”
Dr Adams however expressed dismay that the activities of the department were being frustrated by some touts which he described as “fake revenue agents” that usually paraded themselves as DOAS officials.
On whether activities of the department were endorsed by the National Assembly, he said DOAS was operating in line with the FCTA Act.
He further revealed the Department’s plan to create a data base for all revenue based offices adding that about 37000 commercial vehicles had so far been registered.
According to the DOAS Director, vehicles that ply FCT roads with advertisement inscriptions on them, and run businesses in Abuja are expected to pay mobile advertisements costs to the FCT.
Dr Adams noted that the resolution on harmonisation of revenue collection, which was an outcome of the FCT IRS retreat in Lagos with major revenue stakeholders, was meant to address issues of multiple taxation to prevent residents from undue pressure .
On confiscated items, Dr Adams said the Department had not carried out any formal auction since inception.
The DOAS Boss also used the medium to warn those that place advertisements on bridge panels without following due process to desist from the act.