The Oyo State House of Assembly has identified the need for local government councils, private and corporate organizations to invest in the creation of car parks, parking spaces.
The imperative of car parks was contained in a motion sponsored by the lawmaker representing Ibadan North East I alongside Honourables Hakeem Adedibu and Ayo Fatokun, at Thursday’s plenary.
The motion bemoaned the menace of illegal parking, roadside mechanics, failure of owners of banks, industries, warehouses, malls, and others to provide adequate car parking spaces as contributing to gridlock in the state capital.
As contained in the motion, the incessant gridlock, which points to a bastardisation of original master plans, is not limited to Ibadan but also other major towns like Ogbomoso, Oyo, Saki, Iseyin, Eruwa.
In addition, the motion bemoaned that gridlock was worsened by the existence of markets without parking spaces and roadside mechanic workshops.
Contributing, both Honourable Oluwafowokanmi Oluwafemi of Ibadan South West 2 and Honourable Kazeem Olayanju of Irepo/Olorunsogo urged local government Chairmen to prioritise creating spaces for car parks and mechanic workshops.
Making similar contributions, Minority Leader, Honourable Asimiyu Alarape and Honourable Wumi Oladeji of Ogbomoso North decried the failure of the state government to keep to its words on moving against roadside traders.
They decried the challenge of nonenforcement of existing laws, noting that the state government must be ready to step on toes to restore orderliness in the state.
In its recommendations, the Assembly urged the state department of Physical Planning and Development to ensure inclusion of adequate parking lots in its subsequent approvals of proposed commercial, institutional, educational, industrial, residential, worship, religious and other buildings in the state.
This is as the Assembly tasked the Oyo State Road Transport Management Agency (OYRTMA) to commit more efforts to decongesting areas like Academy, Iwo Road Market, Oje Market road, Bus stop-Gate road, Ibadan, Odo-Oba, Taki Ogbomoso, Eleekara Oyo.
The Assembly also charged the state Ministry of Environment to reprimand erring mechanics and other technicians who have turned major roadsides to illegal workshops.
In a similar motion presented by Honourable Akintunde Olajide of Lagelu constituency at the day’s plenary, the Assembly resolved to embark on oversight to checkmate despicable occurrences at major markets in the state.
Olajide had in the motion, pointed to ongoing illegalities, mismanagement and revenue leakages in markets across the state.
He listed the anomalies in markets to include allocation of spaces designed for car parks, construction of shops along flower channels, conversion of generator houses and public toilets to shops, illegal sales of shops, illegal collection of government revenue and poor environmental conditions.
