Absence of council to delay appointment of substantive APCON Registrar

Absence of APCON council will halt the appointment of substantive Registrar of the regulatory body, unless the minister of Information, who oversees the body, acts unilaterally by confirming the acting registrar or appointing another suitable candidate from the industry.

Presently, the most senior director, Ijedi Iyoha has become the acting registrar following the retirement of Bello Kankaroffi early this year.

However, the body will continue to wait for the constitution of the council which has been delayed by Buhari government for about three years to witness full operation which will come from the appointment of substantive registrar and constitution of the statutory panels.

“In absence of the council, the minister of Information can use his discretion to appoint a substantive registrar”, a source told BusinessDay.

Iyoha who has continued from where Kankaroffi stopped said in a report that, she would closely work with advertising stakeholders to see that the Advertising industry is adequately monitored and regulated.

Stakeholders in the advertising industry have continued to make entreaties through letters and visits to intimate the presidency on the importance of the constitution the APCON council. After 30 months of non-council, the presidency in December, 2017  announced names of politicians and non-advertising professionals as members of the council, in contrast to APCON law.

This move was rejected by Admen who think that government sees some actions and appointments from political perspective. The same mistake was made under Goodluck Jonathan government in 2014 which was reversed.

Some stakeholders see the mistake as a deliberate act because APCON collects yearly subvention from government.

Daniel Obi