AMAC, Advert Agency Dismiss Petition On Revenue Confusion

The Abuja Municipal Area Council (AMAC) and the Department of Outdoor Advertisement and Signage (DOAS) have dismissed a petition calling for a probe into their revenue collection agreement, describing the allegations of fraud and forgery as the handiwork of disgruntled third-party agents.

The two agencies from a high-level joint committee meeting held at the DOAS headquarters in respect to the revenue collection conflict not only resolved their operational differences but also identified the source of the recent friction, the ‘Technical Partners’ and ‘Facilitators’ contracted to collect revenue on their behalf.

The development contradicts a petition circulated on Thursday by a group identifying itself as the Concerned Citizens of AMAC which called on the Inspector-General of Police and the DSS to investigate an alleged “unauthorised Memorandum of Understanding” signed between AMAC and the FCT ministry.

However, at the joint committee meeting, officials from both agencies came together to dismiss the allegations in the petition.

Addressing participants at the meeting, the overseer director of DOAS, Amb. Fatima Helen Amanabo, one of the individuals named in the citizens’ petition, attributed the recent discord to the conduct of certain ‘technical partners’ engaged for revenue collection.

She confirmed that a valid first party signage revenue framework exists, and the issues arose from overzealous agents operating outside their designated jurisdictions.

“It is important to state that the recent Memorandum of Understanding should leave no room for discord. The misunderstandings we have witnessed are directly attributable to the conduct of certain technical partners,” Amanabo stated.

She cited an incident where an agent affiliated to AMAC approached a bank  within DOAS’s jurisdiction to demand payment.

“Such actions are inappropriate,” she added, revealing that stern warnings had been issued to these facilitators.

Her counterpart from AMAC, Hajiya Hajara Abdullahi, the head of department (administration), re-echoed this stance.

“We will take firm action against any technical partner found fomenting discord,” she assured the meeting, confirming that the contracts with these partners are performance-based and subject to renewal.

The meeting’s resolutions paint a picture of unity that directly challenges the narrative of the petition.

Far from the forgery and contempt of court alleged by the ‘Concerned Citizens,’ both agencies described their relationship as longstanding and reaffirmed their commitment to the terms of the “First Party MOU.”

DOAS head of accounts, Mr Sunday Azaki, also named in the petition, proposed that both institutions jointly write to the ICPC

to formally communicate that the issues under investigation which prompted the anti-graft agency’s interest have been resolved through inter-agency dialogue.

The suggestion was met with positive reception, signaling a united front against any external allegations.

The timing of the ‘Concerned Citizens’ petition and the joint resolution meeting is striking.

While the petitioners accused Dr. Amanabo and Mr Azaki of drafting an “unauthorised” MoU to bypass the Treasury Single Account (TSA), the meeting minutes confirm that both are operating within a recognised framework to streamline revenue.

The group’s demand for the “arrest and prosecution” of these officials appears to be a direct attempt to pre-empt the outcome of the very dialogue that has now resolved the dispute.