By Stanley Onyekwere
The Public Relations Officer (PRO), of the Department of Development Control, Abuja Metropolitan Management Council (AMMC), under the Federal Capital Territory Administration (FCTA), has warned that the department will henceforth go after those behind indiscriminate posters in the FCT, including their foot soldier, and ensure that they are prosecuted in court.
Equally, he warned religious, political and other groups who are in the habit of putting posters in any available space to desist from such act as government will no longer keep quiet while such evil is being perpetrated.
The Department had last Thursday begun ridding the city of billboards and posters pasted on public utilities in the territory.
The exercise which started at the popular Julius Berger roundabout, Wuse, saw officials and machines of the department removed posters on the bridge, announcing religious, political and business activities were removed.
In a statement at the weekend, the PRO reiterated that there is no slowing down on removal of posters that are placed indiscriminately in public places within the city as notices or adverts which turn to deface the aesthetic feature of the city.
He however, explained that the exercise was part of efforts the city managers are making to keep Abuja clean, saying that all agencies and departments involved have been out since the beginning of the year, to ensure that the city meets the standard expected of it.
“Making the capital city clean is one of the duties we owe our country. We all know that many visitors to Abuja judge Nigeria based on what they see in this city, and that is the more reason why we have to show a level of patriotism to this country, avoid all those things that will not say good about us,” the statement added.
On the issue of demolition which the department is known for the spokesperson said it does that as a last resort, while discharging its mandates.
“The department goes on demolition when those who are supposed to obey a simple regulation fail to do so. We do not go to a place, even in our villages and start development. One must first obtain approval from the local authorities before he or she commences building in a piece of land which you must have paid the person who holds the title,” the spokesman said.
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