APCON laws: Kankarofi laments poor cooperation among agencies on enforcement
The Registrar of Advertising Practitioners Association of Nigeria (APCON) Alhaji Bello Kankarofi has blamed the non-implementation of the newly reformed APCON law on a lack of support from the advertising agencies in the country.
Alhaji Kankarofi who was speaking at the recently held ADVAN stakeholder’s forum in Lagos disclosed that he was ready to begin the enforcement of the APCON law’s provisions but was handicapped by the lack of commitment by the various sectoral groups.
The Registrar who was responding to a question by former President of Association of Advertising agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) Kelechi Nwosu on why there has been no enforcement by APCON said,” I am the enforcer of the policy; what you decide I enforce, whether it pleases you or not, but APCON cannot embark on enforcement alone without being joined by the sectoral groups.
“If you people appear in my office tomorrow, I am ready to embark on inspection,” he said.
One of the statutory responsibilities of APCON as a regulator is to carry out regular inspection on agencies as part of effort to ensure rules are obeyed, but the last time such exercise was done was about three years ago according to Kankarofi.
“I will love to have you inspected. We inspected three years ago and we have not gone back to inspect you again. Only the newly registered agencies have been inspected. I don’t do the approval; it’s you (AAAN) that do the approval. I will only be part of the administrative team to ensure fairness and objectivity.”
But that is not all, the regulator also criticised the operators for defaulting in the payment of their practice fees. According to the Registrar, most of the major agencies have refused to pay their practice fee and this has impeded the regulatory obligations of APCON. He also criticized Association of advertising Agencies of Nigeria (AAAN) for habouring quacks and unlicensed practitioners in the industry, adding these laxities make regulation an uphill task.
Alhaji Kankarofi said: “there is no way we can perform well when your key member don’t pay practice fee. As at today none of the agencies present here have paid the fees.”
Kelechi Nwosu who is CEO of TBWA Concept was a member of the last APCON council as AAAN President. He has been at the forefront of ensuring that the advertising industry is properly sanitise and guided by policies that are contemporary and business friendly. The council which was headed by Udeme Ufot, Group CEO of SO&U was abruptly sacked by the Buhari government almost two years ago and has not been replaced or recalled since.
In the absence of the council, the much talked about APCON reforms, which was designed to strengthen the law guiding the industry and engender professional have been stalemated. And though the Federal Minister of Information and Culture Alhaji Lai Mohammed has on several occasions promised to restore the council, nothing has so far been done.
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