The Lagos State Government has announced the introduction of an on-street parking scheme that will charge vehicles on an hourly basis for parking on designated streets within the metropolis.
This, it said, is to institute a more efficient management of the huge number of vehicles that flood the city daily.
This was contained in a July 19 notice by the Lagos State Parking Authority, LASPA, signed by its Head of Operations, Ayokunle Akinrimisi.
In a notice addressed to the Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria (PFN), branch chairman, the new regulation would be strictly enforced. Other measures were also being taken against cars parked indiscriminately.
“I am directed to inform your revered organisation that the Lagos State Parking Authority is proposing to commence its on-street parking scheme at designated streets within the metropolis of Lagos State,” the notice read. “Vehicles parked by the church and the members on designated streets are to be charged by the hour, while indiscriminately parked vehicles will be enforced upon accordingly.”
The state government has been informing religious bodies, organisations, and event centres of the new charges that would take off. Specific areas mentioned for the initial rollout include Lekki and Surulere.
The General Manager of LASPA, Adebisi Adelabu, said in an interview with Sunday PUNCH that the programme would take off in October.
According to her, with a population of over 25 million persons and over three million vehicles in Lagos, proper parking management was not just imperative; it was long overdue.
“In 2022, we held meetings with Christian associations, Muslim associations, nightclubs, event centres and others. We told them that we are starting with set-back and progressing to on-street parking. Lagos is a city of over 25 million people and we have over three million vehicles, we must have proper parking management, so they have been sensitised,” Adelabu explained.
Despite the announcements, the actual fees to be charged for on-street parking have not yet been disclosed.
The Lagos State Government has urged all affected parties to adhere to the new directive, emphasising the importance of law compliance for the scheme’s success.
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