The Lagos State Government insisted on starting the On-Street Parking Scheme in October 2024 on specific city streets.
Recall that the installation of controlled on-street parking was allowed by Governor Bababjide Sanwo-Olu.
Oluwaseun Osiyemi, the Commissioner of Transportation, stated in his speech regarding the planned enforcement that “there is no going back on enforcement from October 2024.”
“To further ensure free flow of traffic in the state, the measure has become necessary in the interest of the general public.”
Adebisi Adelabu, the general manager of the Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA), clarified further regarding enforcement, stating that the initial phase of the plan would involve Victoria Island and a few sites in Ikoyi, Surelere, Ikeja, and Lekki.
“We held meetings with Christian associations, Muslim associations, nightclubs, event centers, and others in 2022,” Adelabu stated.
“We informed them that we would begin with off-street parking and work our way up to set-back parking.
Since there are more than 3 million cars and over 25 million people living in Lagos, appropriate parking management is necessary, and people have been made aware of this.
However, since the pilot management system will begin in October, we believed that it is our duty as a responsible government to inform them in advance so they can advise their congregations to begin making plans for themselves.
Parking on government property and expecting everything to continue as usual is not acceptable.
“I’ve heard some claim it’s for generating revenue, but that’s not quite true. Although revenue is certain, we need to start thinking about ways to lessen Lagos’ traffic problems.
If we don’t have adequate parking management in place, how can the government possibly develop its policies?
Victoria Island, Ikoyi, a portion of Ikeja, Surulere, and Lekki are our first stops. We are covering metropolitan Lagos eventually, but we are doing it gradually.
“Next year, we’ll transition to different stages at different times. For the following four years, we will approach it progressively until we have covered all of Lagos.
“The post incorrectly stated that LASPA on Saturday announced it will from October 2024, charge churches and worshippers in Lagos state, who parked vehicles on designated streets around places of worship.
“To clarify the matter, LASPA wishes to emphasize that this information is inaccurate and does not reflect the true intent of our communication. The Lagos State government is not imposing parking fees on churches or worshippers for parking on streets around religious institutions. Rather, LASPA is implementing the Lagos State Parking Policy to mitigate parking-induced traffic congestion across the state.
“Like many other major cities worldwide facing similar challenges, Lagos is experiencing a high demand for parking spaces that exceeds the available supply. Therefore, we are adopting a regulated on-street parking model to better manage parking resources efficiently.”
