LINDA SOKO TEMBO writes
THE Lusaka City Council has intensified the war against illegal billboards, puling close to 500 of them around the capital.
Public relations manager George Sichimba said the local authority had removed a total of 472 billboards since the beginning of 2019 to restore sanity in the city.
Mr Sichimba said the removal followed the exercise of regulating the placement of billboards which the council had embarked on.
He said the exercise was meant to restore sanity in the manner billboards were erected and displayed in line with the Local Government Act.
“The affected billboards were pulled down for reasons ranging from illegal placements, wrong placements to lack of identity of advertisers. The team is currently working along Kafue road where 18 billboards have so far been affected,” Mr Sichimba said.
He advised people intending to market their goods and services by way of outdoor advertising to be reminded to seek planning permission from the local authority before putting up any advertisement.
He said there was a growing trend by some advertisers to place advertisements on concrete security fences as well as banners without getting permission from the council.
LCC had authority to regulate outdoor advertising regardless of the form it took and where it was placed.
“LCC wishes to advise all advertising agents and individuals alike to be following laid down procedures of outdoor advertising to avoid inconveniences,” he said.
Residents, especially motorists, have been complaining about disorder in the placement of billboards and banners across the city, some of which have become a danger to road safety as they have created blind spots.
