Chief Adesunbo Onitiri, a sociopolitical commentator and activist, criticised the Lagos State Government yesterday for purportedly passing a bill allowing the Lagos Parking Authority to charge 'outrageous' permission fees for setbacks (off-street) parking.
In the interest of the state's citizens generally, he encouraged Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to ask the State House of Assembly to immediately cancel or revise the bill.
In a statement, Onitiri claimed that the cost of parking permits did not reflect the country's economic conditions.
In letters to landlords and organisations, the Lagos Parking Authority wanted N80,000 for one slot, N240,000 for three slots, and N50,000 in non-refundable administrative/processing fees for setbacks (off-street) parking.
Onitiri said paying such outrageous fees would further impoverish the people the government claimed to be catering for, particularly the property owners, who were already paying annual tenement and land rates to Lagos State Government.
He said: “The introduction of setback/ off street parking by the state government now was a height of insensitivity to the yearnings and sufferings of the people because it would skyrocket both house rents and office accommodations.
The social critic wants to know if the parking fees were replacing the tenement rates.
He said the parking fee was unfair because many house owners were living in their homes without renting them out, asking “Shouldn’t they park their vehicles in their homes?”