October 27, (THEWILL) – To improve vehicle parking culture in Lagos State, the Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA), is bracing up to commence full implementation of its policies in the second quarter of 2023.
However, the Authority is still in its promo phase, whereby the management is taking its time to sensitise the public and create awareness about their operations so that Lagosians will understand why LASPA was set up and the urgent need for all to cooperate, in order to have a more efficient parking system.
The new development is in line with the administration’s policy in moving Lagos state economy towards a 21st-century economy within the first pillar of THEME’S Agenda, of which transportation is key.
Speaking at a media parley held in LASPA office in Ikeja, Lagos, General Manager LASPA, Mrs Adebisi Adelabu, informed that the Authority will commence full implementation of its policies in the second quarter of 2023, to improve the parking culture.
Adelabu, made the disclosure in a briefing as she reeled out the mandate, functions and strategies of the Authority in Lagos on Thursda.
She said that the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, had signed upon to create a well-designed and coordinated parking management system for the Lagos of our dream.
She said that LASPA 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 Governor 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 want to address traffic challenges, we need to start from parking problem and that is why LASPA was established.
“We are working with the Local Government to achieve their mandate in terms of parking”, Adelabu said.
She said that the agency was not a revenue-generating agency, adding that people had been paying for parking since time immemorial in Lagos, while nobody knows who they paid to, as it is the norm in Lagos for anyone to collect money.
The LASPA boss said that Government believed it was important to put a fate to the unauthorised collection of parking fees, adding there was need to change the habit of parking cars around in Lagos.
She said that LASG was working towards decongesting gridlock on Lagos road by investing in multimodal transportation saying that LASPA was created to assist Lagos residents to consider factors attached to parking cars.
Adelabu said LASPA was established in 2021 and had been taking time to sensitise Lagos residents with various means of communication till the second quoter of 2023 before they began operations.
She said that there would be punity for any offenders when they commence operations, and the Lagos State Government would be creating employment directly with the operation and involvement of concessioners.
Adebule said that over six concessioners had been awarded to create a parking place around Ikeja, Surulere, Apapa, etc, adding that there would be a certain place where one could park within the stated period of time.
Anthony Awunor, is a business correspondent who holds a Bachelor of Arts Degree in Linguistics (UNILAG). He is also an alumnus of the Nigerian College of Aviation Technology (NCAT), Zaria Kaduna State. He lives in Lagos.
