The Kogi state government has imposed a N10 million levy on presidential candidates to erect billboards and posters in the state.
The levy is consequent upon the passage of the State’s Signage Agency Establishment Law by the House of Assembly on Thursday in Lokoja.
The legislators, who considered the bill clause by clause at plenary, said the law would regulate outdoor display of signage and advertisement in the state.
The law also aims at curbing the indiscriminate pasting of posters on sidewalks, walls, bridges and public buildings in the state.
By the new law all governorship candidates are to pay N5 million, senatorial candidates, N2 million and House of Representatives, N1 million.
The law also stipulates that House of Assembly and Council Chairmanship candidates are to pay N500,000 each.
Consequently, the law provides for the establishment of a signage agency saddled with regulatory functions.
This means that until permits are issued no politician, political party or organisation can erect any billboard or paste a poster at any designated place in the state.
Also at plenary, the house passed a second bill regulating pool betting in the state.
By the new law, if passed, all operators of pool centres in the state must register with the state government before operating such a business in Kogi.
The speaker of the House, Matthew Kolawole, explained that with the passage of the two bills, defaulters would face the wrath of the law.
(NAN)
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