On Wednesday, third-party agents and other advertising practitioners in Oyo state were restrained by the state Signage and Advertisement Agency for refusal of payment of advert bills worth over N650m into the state government’s treasury.

Eso-Ajanaku Oludolapo, the OYSAA Director-Genreal, told journalists after leading an enforcement exercise within the Ibadan metropolis.

He said, “The state government is being owed over N650 million in revenue default from these advertising practitioners over the period in view.

“The decisive action was as a result of an extensive debt profile that has continued to grow, despite repeated encouragement and ample opportunities provided by OYSAA to third–party practitioners to reconcile their accounts and reduce their debt profile.”

Oludolapo said, it has become obvious that the current level of non-compliance can no longer be sustained, despite the government’s compassion and generosity over an extended period.

“This enforcement initiative is not only about addressing the current financial discrepancies but also about setting a precedent for accountability and compliance within the state. The ongoing non-compliance has reached a point where it jeopardizes the expansion of Internally Generated Revenue of the state.”

He also asked all third-party practitioners within the state to promptly address their debts to avoid potential disruptions to their operations.

Oludolapo stressed that the agency reserved the right to approve, terminate or revoke its engagement with any individual or organisation at any point in time if they default in their roles and obligations to the agency.