The Lagos State Government has reiterated its commitment to the regulation and improvement of the parking culture as part of its efforts to ensure parking is made convenient, safe and secure for all vehicle owners in the area.
The state government has also clarified that the collection of parking levy by its parking agency; the Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA) was empowered by law to operate in the state.
Speaking at a press briefing to sensitise stakeholders and the public on the mandate and activities of LASPA, the Commissioner for Transportation, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde, explained that the functions of the agency are constitutional, affirming that the state government would never resort to any untoward means in its dealing with the people.
Addressing the misinformation recently circulated about the activities of LASPA by a company alleging that it was charged for parking within its own premises, the Commissioner urged Lagosians to be wary of political jobbers and individuals who create confusion with their limited knowledge of the constitution of the State.
Reeling out some of the mandates of the agency, Oladeinde revealed that LASPA was established to promote parking policies tailored to suit the peculiarity of the State in line with modern international standards towards achieving a smart city.
“LASPA is empowered to remove all impediments arising from indiscriminate parking, thereby increasing the carriageway capacity on the roads, improving the flow of traffic and reducing travel time”, he remarked.
He maintained that aside from improving the parking culture, the establishment of the authority has created employment opportunities for youths and will further generate additional revenue for the State.
Comparing the levies paid to LASPA by private commercial parks, non-commercial parks and other parking lots provided by the Authority, Oladeinde said that the rates are reasonable and cheaper.
“The yearly levy of N80,000, an equivalent of N219 daily, is lower than charges of most private commercial parks, which is N500 to N1,000 parking dues per hour equivalent to over N182,500 or N365,000 yearly. The difference is clear as the government is quite considerate and responsive in making the environment conducive for all”, the Commissioner explained.
While encouraging Lagosians to cooperate with the agency and other similar stakeholders in carrying out its mandate, Oladeinde implored concerned members of the public to visit the Agency’s office at Sasegbon Street, GRA, Ikeja, for necessary information and assistance.
He also called on Lagosians to visit the authority’s website to make their enquiries, adding that the agency is available 24/7 on social media platforms.
In her remarks, the General Manager, Lagos State Parking Authority, Mrs. Adebisi Adelabu, expressed the need to regulate the parking sector to achieve the 21st century city that this administration is desirous to bequeath Lagosians.
Decrying the indiscriminate parking across the state, the General Manager stated that most Lagos buildings lack parking space, stating that Lagos needs to get to a point where parking facilities must be provided when erecting any building.
“As the government is trying to pool revenue into development of infrastructure, lack of adequate parking facilities is causing deterioration of our road infrastructure. Therefore, event centres, religious houses, shopping malls and other public buildings must make necessary provisions for parking spaces”, the General Manager affirmed.
Mrs. Adelabu explained that LASPA was created to solve a problem that affects every resident, saying “We intend to regulate the parking sector and not take ownership from private operators. Privately-owned and commercial parking locations are hereby enjoined to register with the Agency to enable government create the necessary structure to ease access to these facilities”.
She stated that the Authority has engaged some religious bodies including the Christian Association of Nigeria, Pentecostal Fellowship of Nigeria and Islamic Organisations on the need to provide enough space that will accommodate their vehicles.
While emphasising that opportunities for concession ownership of the parking facilities would be available, the General Manager disclosed that the agency would roll out adaptable technology to support operations and will gradually deploy signage and lane markings in phases across Lagos.
The briefing was attended by the Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso; Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Mr. Kamar Olowoshago; Senior Special Assistant to the Governor on New Media, Mr. Jubril Gawat and other stakeholders in the transportation sector.
