Parking tax legal, Lagos government responds to Falana

Lagos State Government has responded to Nigerian human rights lawyer and senior solicitor Femi Falana over the controversy that followed the introduction of a parking fee in the state.

A statement on Monday from Adebayo Haroun, Senior Special Assistant to the Justice Commissioner, insisted that the parking fee had a legal basis.

Background

In a social media post, the Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA) released a letter signed by its chief executive, Adebisi Adelabu, informing a Lekki-based company that it had been charged a total sum of 290 N000 for parking outside their premises.

Mr. Falana called the policy unconstitutional and urged the state government to withdraw it without delay, according to the Punch newspaper.

He added that LASPA was illegal.

"Under Section 7 of the Constitution of the Federal Republic of Nigeria 1999, as amended, local governments are solely responsible for establishing and maintaining motor fleets in any of the States of the federation," the lawyer said. .

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"In addition, it is the sole responsibility of local government authorities to construct and maintain parks, gardens, open spaces or public facilities as prescribed by the House of Assembly."

Answer

But LASPA said Mr. Falana was wrong in his assertion.

"The attention of the Lagos State Parking Authority has been drawn to a statement credited to Mr. Femi Falana SAN on the authority of the Agency to levy a parking charge on parking spaces in Lagos State,” the statement read.

“The Lagos State Parking Authority Act 2018 empowers the Local Government and Local Council Development Areas in Lagos State to cede their powers to collect parking fees to the state government.

"As a result, by mutual agreement, the Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas in Lagos State have ceded their powers to the State Government to collect parking fees in the 'Lagos State.'

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