By Janet Udogu
Plans are in place for the forthcoming elections of Outdoor Advertising Association of Nigeria, OAAN, which would be taking place at their 32nd Annual General Meeting slated for July 26 to 29, 2017, at Hotel Benezia, Asaba.
According to the guidelines for the 2017 general elections released by OAAN secretariat, the elective positions open for contesting are the posts of President, Vice President, General Secretary, Assistant General Secretary, Treasurer, Publicity Secretary and five Ex-Officio Members.
The guidelines states that candidates eligible to contest any of the elective posts are those who have been in the business of advertising, marketing, mass communications or other related field, with at least five years experience as a Chief Executive Officer or Executive Director of a reputable and relevant organization.
It also mandated that candidates vying for the post of President or Vice President must have served the Executive Council as an elected officer for a minimum of qualitative and cumulative period of four years and that the member-company of the candidate must have outdoor businesses in at least two-thirds of the geo-political zones of Nigeria and must have at least three operational offices in at least three different geo-political zones of Nigeria.
Other eligibility conditions include that candidate contesting for any of the posts must be a full registered member of Advertising Practitioners Council of Nigeria, APCON, and also financially up-to-date, and his or her member-company must not be indebted to the Association beyond a period of 60 days after any subscription due or levy is payable in full.
The guidelines equally states that all candidates shall submit audited accounts and tax clearance certificate in respect of the company he or she represents for the past three financial years and that the representative of the registered financial member-company is eligible to attend and vote.
“Candidates contesting any of the elective posts must collect, complete and submit a Nomination Form during office hours of 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 p.m. from Wednesday, 5th July to Tuesday, 11th July, 2017.
“The names of approved candidates for election shall be advertised on the Notice Board at the OAAN Secretariat on Friday, 14th July, 2017 during office hours of 8.00 a.m. to 5.00 pm.
“Any objection against the approval of any candidate should be forwarded to the OAAN Secretariat not later than 5.00 p.m. on Monday, 17th July, 2017 for consideration and determination by the electoral Committee,” it says noting that only member-companies represented by their chief executive officers or proxies who have fully paid all financial dues will be eligible to attend and vote at the meeting.
Assessing the present administration and situation of the association, a full member of the association who pleaded anonymous stated: “We are struggling with the challenges facing the industry. The industry has never been under this kind of siege. We are not out of the woods yet. Outdoor firms are downsizing, some have even closed shop.
“For LASAA to be charging us even when signs do not display ads is really saddening. All parleys with LASAA have not yielded fruits and clients are cutting down on ad budgets seriously. So that leaves us between the devil and the blue sea.
“Adedoyin I must say tried considering the challenges he had to battle with. Well, engagement is still ongoing however, we are not out of the woods yet. A lot of us have fallen by the way side but there is always light at the end of the tunnel,” he said.
Other agenda planned for the body’s yearly meet include up-grade of associate member companies to full membership, approval of new member companies, dissolution of executive council and election of members of the new executive council.