APCON Chair nominee awaits President Buhari’s nod
Feelers emanating from the Presidency have revealed that the name of the Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, (APCON) chairman nominee has been submitted to the presidency, awaiting the assent and approval of President Muhammadu Buhari upon his imminent return from medical vacation in London.
“The name of the APCON Chairman designate has been submitted to the office of President Muhammadu Buhari. Right now as I speak, the nominee’s name is on his table and the President will deal with it as soon as he arrives from his overseas medical vacation,” a top presidency source disclosed in Lagos mid-week.
The source also hinted authoritatively that it is not only APCON council that has not been constituted but of about other hundred heads of agencies and parastatals, yet to be appointed.
It will be recalled that advertising practitioners and other relevant stakeholders in the Nigerian marketing and advertising landscape have expressed worry over the prolonged delay in constituting the APCON council since it was dissolved two years ago when the Buhari administration came into the saddle.
The council headed by the Group Managing Director of SO&U Group, Mr. Udeme Ufot was never allowed to run its four year tenure as witnessed by his predecessors in office due to change in baton at the centre.
The void created by the non-constitution of the council has been very debilitating, especially in the area of regulation and oversight functions. Most worrisome is the fact that the delay in constituting the APCON Council has weakened enforcement of rules, especially with the uncontrolled influx of unregistered foreign agencies that move in and out of the country, participating in local pitches and taking businesses away to their home countries after winning the pitches.
No fewer than three of such foreign agencies have been hired by multinationals while ignoring local agencies, most of which have global affiliation and partnership.
Asked to comment about the state of practice in the industry, the Chief Executive Officer of APCON, Alhaji Bello Garba Kankarofi said although the delay has been a major concern to industry players, he assured that the Minister of Information, Alhaji Lai Mohammed, the supervisory minister of the council has done his utmost best to ensure the council is constituted without further delay.
Corroborating the MARKETING EDGE investigation, he disclosed that the council may soon be inaugurated but was silent on when it would happen.
He also debunked the claim that the non-constitution of the council has affected enforcement of regulations. The registrar, who hinted that a lot of efforts are on-going without much publicity, blamed the alleged incursion of foreign agencies that are not registered or licensed to practice on practitioners who know about this development but are not bold to petition or call the attention of APCON to it.
“You cannot blame the delay or non-constitution of APCON council on the influx of unregistered agencies. APCON is alive and working. It is the practitioners who have knowledge of this development but won’t make a report,” Kankarofi maintained.
He assured that now he is aware, he will draw the attention of Head of the Committee in charge of registering practitioners and the Heads of Advertising Sectoral Groups (AASG) with a view to arresting the ugly development.
RECOMMENDED ARTICLES
Comment
No comments found.