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By Moses Akaigwe
The Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA) has restated its commitment to achieving a structured parking system, in line with best global practices. This is congruous with the agency’s continuous efforts to improve the parking culture in the state
General manager of LASPA, Mrs. Adebisi Adelabu, who gave the assurance during a press briefing in her office in Ikeja, last week, disclosed that the authority would commence full implementation of its policies in the second quarter of 2023 to improve the parking culture in Lagos.
She, therefore, called on residents to embrace the new, more harmonised parking system as this would address the problem of indiscriminate parking.
At the press briefing, Adelabu explained the mandate, functions and strategies of LASPA which was created in 2021.
She said that the authority’s activities are pursuant to Gov. Babajide Sanwo’s traffic management and transportation agenda for Lagos state
The agency, according to the General Manager, was created to institute a well-designed and coordinated parking management system, create job opportunities and generate revenue for the state.
She said that part of LASPA’s functions was to assist Lagos residents to be mindful of parking their vehicles appropriately as this would impact positively on the environment and Lagos roads.
“The Lagos State Parking Authority is an agency of government created by law, under the leadership of Gov. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, with the core mandate to regulate and manage all forms of parking, register existing private, public parks and holistically tackle the menace of parking.
“There was need for our establishment to regulate parking because, we have Vehicle Inspection Authority (VIS), the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), but parking is essential to tackle traffic congestion.
“If one really wants to address traffic challenges, we need to start from parking problem and that is why LASPA was established.
“We are working with the local governments to achieve their mandate in terms of parking,” Adelabu said.
She said that the agency was not strictly a revenue generating agency, adding that vehicle owners had been paying for parking since time in memorial in Lagos while nobody knows who they account to, as it is the norm in Lagos for anyone to collect money.
The LASPA boss said that the government believed it was important to put an end to unauthorised collection of parking fees, stating that there was need to change the habit of parking cars around in Lagos.
Adelabu said LASPA was established in 2021 and had been sensitising Lagos residents with various means of communications ahead of the second quarter of 2023 when the implementation of the structured parking system will commence.
She, however, warned that there would be punitive measures for offenders when the agency commences operations.
Adelabu noted that the authority has partnered with six concessionaires in order to achieve the target of creating parking spaces in strategic locations such as Ikeja, Surulere and Apapa, among others.
She said: “There was a need to create an ideal parking system, being an essential part of vehicular life. If you have a car, you must park it somewhere and if we really want to address traffic, we have to start by finding solutions to parking, hence we are working collectively with other transport agencies to achieve our mandate”.
The General Manager pointed out that with over 27 million residents and an increasing population, the state government is not resting on its oars, but planning ahead in its bid to meet up with the smart city dream of a well-structured system.
“We are trying to enlighten residents who park inappropriately on the roads causing inconvenience for others on the need to embrace the proper parking culture and appeal to all religious bodies, event centres and land owners to always consider providing adequate parking space when executing their building plans as we intend to begin full implementation of parking policy in the second quarter of 2023”, she said.
