We Did Not Ask Rivers State Printers For Money – RISAA

This is to notify the general public, residents and printers in the State that the Rivers State Signage and Advertisement Agency (RISAA) is not and has not demanded for any fees or levies from printers in Rivers State.

The Acting Managing Director, Hon. Anthony Okeah on the 23rd of August 2019 held a stakeholders meeting with the Printers Association in Port-Harcourt and issues surrounding the proper display of banners and advert posters were discussed.

The MD expressed the need for the Agency to curb the incessant display of posters and flex banners indiscriminately on public furnitures defacing the city and state.
It was discussed that from henceforth, clients who patronize printers will need to get approvals/permits from RISAA to track and control the exposure of their various materials for proper disclosure upon expiration of event.
This is inline with the Agency’s “Clean the City” initiative, whereby a minor levy will be charged to persons who intent to print posters and flex banners within the state.

This minor levy charged is meant to cover up logistics for the Agency to clean up the city and bring back decency and cleanliness to the state.

Posters and flex prints also serve as form of outdoor exposure and are gradually defacing the city.

In 2015, the need to bring order to the regulation, practice, and management of outdoor signage, advertisement and hoarding became very necessary. With the aim of ensuring that outdoor advertisements become an organized and veritable source of revenue for the two tiers of government in the state, The Rivers State Signage and Advertisement Agency (RISAA) was established by law No 2, 2015 of the Rivers State House of Assembly.

By the provisions of our mandate, we are the only organization empowered by law to register, collect and issue permits to all owners/operators of billboard and other forms of outdoor signage in Rivers State. However, failure to comply within a stipulated time frame attracts some level of punitive measures which includes fines/penalty for non-compliance, confiscation of outdoor structures as well as imprisonment upon conviction by courts of competent jurisdiction.

RISAA is by this notification:

• Not vetting contents on prints
• Not demanding for fees from Printers
• Seeking for clients/customers to get verification and code from the Agency before they print
• Requesting for minor levy from clients/customers to serves as logistics for Cleanup.

25th November 2019