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The Lagos State government has formally cautioned event centres and venue operators against utilising public roads for parking or overflow, highlighting the escalating traffic congestion and potential dangers to public safety.
This warning was made on Sunday by Olalekan Bakare-Oki, the General Manager of the Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA), after conducting multiple inspections in areas prone to traffic issues throughout the city.
Bakare-Oki expressed concern over the increasing tendency for extravagant weddings, concerts, and other events to encroach upon public roads, often without the necessary permissions. This behaviour, he noted, not only aggravates traffic jams but also hinders access for ambulances, fire services, and other emergency personnel.
“It is both necessary and urgent to reassert, in categorical terms, that no individual, corporate body, or event organisers, regardless of stature or affiliation, has the prerogative to appropriate public roadways as ancillary extensions of their private ventures or leisure domains,” Bakare-Oki warned.
He clarified that the administration of Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu is dedicated to ensuring fairness and order on the roads of Lagos, warning that those who break the rules will face consequences.
This announcement represents a renewed effort by Lagos authorities to tackle the city’s persistent traffic issues, a challenge that has long plagued commuters in one of the most densely populated urban environments globally.
Major thoroughfares are frequently congested for hours during weekends when high-profile weddings and events take place, particularly in affluent areas with limited parking capabilities.
To enhance enforcement, Bakare-Oki has instructed LASTMA units to increase their patrols and improve intelligence gathering, especially during festive periods when large gatherings commonly occur and has called on venue operators to behave responsibly by hiring certified traffic personnel or partnering with LASTMA to create traffic management plans tailored to specific events.
