The Benue State House of Assembly has passed a bill seeking to regulate outdoor structures used for the display of signage, hoardings, and advertisements across the state.

Samuel Agada (APC/Ogbadibo), Chairman of the House Committee on Information, Communication and Technology (ICT) and Digital Economy, led the debate on the floor of the house.

Mr Agada explained that the initial version of the bill contained several lacunae, which necessitated a thorough review and vetting to address all identified gaps.

He noted that when the bill would be assented to by the state governor, Hyacinth Alia, it would significantly boost the state’s internally generated revenue (IGR).

According to him, consultants to the proposed agency projected a monthly revenue generation of two billion naira for the state.

He further disclosed that several states, such as Rivers, Edo, Oyo, Ogun, and Lagos, had established signage and advertising agencies to regulate the indiscriminate display of outdoor advertisements.

The committee chairman noted that Benue State would be joining the league with the passage of the bill, to also create employment opportunities for youths in the state.

“There is a memorandum of agreement between the Bureau of Local Government and Chieftaincy Affairs and the Benue State Internal Revenue Service for the collection of revenue accruing to the third tier of government,” he said.

He added that 50 per cent of revenue generated by the State Signage and Advertisement Agency would be paid into the state’s consolidated revenue fund.

“The remaining 50 per cent will be shared among the local governments, the Urban Development Board, the Benue State Internal Revenue Service (BIRS), and the agency,” he said

Mr Agada thereafter recommended that the bill be considered clause by clause for passage.

Contributing to the debate, Anthony Agom (APC/Okpokwu) and the majority leader of the House, Thomas Dugeri (APC/Kwande West), expressed their support for passage of the bill.

The clerk of the House, Bem Mela, subsequently read the bill for the third time, after which the speaker, Alfred Emberga, declared it duly passed. 

(NAN)