Byline: Yusuf Mohammed
Finding a parking space in Lagos is usually a problem for many residents as there are hardly places to park in the state especially in the metropolis.
The places that have been designated for parking are not free. While the ones that are free would be risky to park vehicles. It may be stolen or towed by the traffic police of Lagos State Traffic Management Agency, LASTMA. Anyone who wants to park a vehicle in a safe place would have to part with a handsome amount of money.
The amount varies. At Ashade market in Agege, Lagos state, there is a fee of N200 to be paid to the Area Council for parking a car. It used to be informal in the past, but it is has now become official.
A young man who did not know about the fee parked his car just to go and ease himself. As soon as he got back, he was given a ticket of N200. It took the intervention of people in the area to plead on the man’s behalf as he claimed he had no money on him.
Narrating his ordeal to The Next Edition, Rahmon Ayefele, said, “I just went to ease myself quickly because I was pressed. My car has not been here for up to two minutes and they said I should pay N200. Even if I want to pay, I don’t even have anything on me. If I had known they were collecting N200 here I would have found somewhere else to park.”
In the same area, another young man who simply gave his name as Saheed, said he usually visits Ashade to eat in a restaurant in the market but the parking ticket of N200 may discourage him. “I used to come here to eat every day. I spend N500 on food. Now because of this parking fee, I have to spend N700. This is crazy.”
Workers at Albaraka restaurant complained that the ticket fee for parking at Ashade has reduced the number of customers that visit to eat. Speaking on behalf of Albaraka, the Manager, Alhaja Munirat Ayedun, said “This is not good for our business. Why should they be collecting that kind of amount? If someone parks in front of my restaurant, how is it government’s concern?” she queried.
Like Ashade and other parts of Lagos, Ikeja Shopping Mall at Alausa, is not left out. It was gathered that people who visit the mall, with their cars during the weekend have to pay N200. This amount covers the whole day. However, weekdays are different. On weekdays, the owner of any vehicle that is parked for more than one hour has to pay N100. If the vehicle stays an additional two hours, that person will have to pay an extra N200. For every two hours, visitors are charged N200.
James Onolaja spoke of how he was embarrassed the first day he drove to the mall to buy some items from Shoprite. He said, “I remember the day I visited with my girlfriend, I was highly embarrassed. It was on a Friday.. We spent five hours at Rhapsody, a bar in the mall. On my way out, I was told to pay N500. That was how we argued until a friend of mine who I had not seen in a long time paid for me.”
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The Next Edition also gathered that security men of some companies on the roadside now collect money from motorists for parking their vehicles by the side of the companies they guard. This happens mostly at night. Most night clubs don’t have enough parking space. As a result, some of the club goers park their cars in front of companies. This is not without paying money to the security men who are on night duty.
Paying these security men, is however not official. This is done without the knowledge of the company. A security man, who pleaded for anonymity because it could cost him his job, told The Next Edition that “that is how I make extra money. I have many mouths to feed at home and my salary is not enough to do that. This is not in any way affecting the company I guard, so it shouldn’t be a problem.”
Another problem is towing of cars due to lack of parking spaces. There are hardly places to park cars in Lagos, especially on the Mainland. This is something that residents have been complaining about for a long time. It is so bad that residents have had their cars towed on several occasions.
“I parked my car here for a few minutes just for me to go and ease myself. As soon as I got back, I was told that my car had been towed,” a middle-aged man who simply gave his name as Deji said.
This is not peculiar to Deji alone as another resident recounted his ordeal in Lagos. Emeka Nwagbara has been a victim of wrong parking twice as his car was towed away. “There was a time my car was parked at the entrance of computer village. I wanted to go and quickly collect my phone from the man I gave to repair it. Next thing I knew, some people said I should go to Alausa, that my car has been towed,” he said.
He continued, “The government should do something about it, especially in Ikeja. Coming to computer village with my car is always a problem. There was another time that I parked my car in front of Yudala and it was towed away. “Lagos State is generating so much money from vehicles in Lagos, so there is no reason for lack of development,” he said.
