Date: 2016-04-14

The Kwara State House of Assembly has expressed its frustration over the indiscriminate parking of vehicles and construction of shops on road setbacks in Ilorin metropolis.

To address this, the House has resolved to invite those involved such as the Ministries of Works and Transport,Housing and Environment as well as the State Housing Corporation, Bureau of Land, Harmony Holdings, Town Planning Development Authority and Kwara State Road Traffic Maintenance Authority (KWARTMA) at a later date to be confirmed.

The House took the resolution on Wednesday following a deliberation on a motion of indiscriminate parking of vehicles and no parking sign usage in Ilorin metropolis moved by Hon. AbdulRasheed Taiwo representing Owode-Onire Constituency in Asa Local Government.

Leading the debate, Hon. AbdulRasheed Taiwo who lamented the indiscriminate parking of vehicles along the roads in Ilorin metropolis observed that it is very rampant especially in areas where filling stations are cited, thereby making it difficult for other road users to ply the roads conveniently.

?Similarly, he said that it has also been very frustrating to drive around with intention of purchasing goods in some areas within the city without being confronted with parking problem as virtually all shop owners have placed no parking signs in front of their respective shops.

The lawmaker regretted that the sign is usually accompanied with police logo to justify that the shop owners were not acting unlawfully, describing the action as illegal due to the fact that the constitution does not empower police to issue such permit.

He further explained that the Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) laws carefully stipulated areas where motorists could not park such as hospitals among others, noting that unfortunately the reverse is the case.

In his contributions, Hon. Kamaldeen Fagbemi representing Oke-Ogun Constituency who described the motion as timely due to the hardship being experienced by vehicle owners in Ilorin metropolis enjoined government to provide parking lots in major areas within the city, stressing that such provision would make it easier to deal with any individual that contravenes the law.

Specifically, Fagbemi stated that it is the duty of the local governments as provided in the constitution to provide such amenities which would equally assist them in raising Internally Generated Revenue ?(IGR).

However, in his submission, a member representing Kaiama/Kemanji/Wajibe Constituency, Hon. Ahmed Ibn Mohammed noted that the motion prayers should be expanded to also curb shops being constructed along road setbacks in the state capital, a situation he said was worrisome.

Mohammed explained that unfortunately when enquiries were made it was discovered that the state government actually allocated the portion of lands which falls in wrong place to the users.

He added that the indiscriminate parking of vehicles would continue as far as those constructing shops failed to provide areas where customers could park?.

The Speaker, Rt. Hon. Dr. Ali Ahmad however directed that several stakeholders connected to the issue should be invited to the floor, stressing that their expertise would assist the House to come up with a better resolution and solve the problem once and for all.