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Claim: An X user claims that the Lagos State Government is set to start charging churches whose members park cars on designated streets.
Verdict: Misleading! According to the Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA), the parking policy will come into force for all motorists in Lagos State in October 2024 for all users of the 1,800 parking slots. The government only informed institutions concerned about its new policy on public parking in the metropolis.
Full Text
Indiscriminate car parking and other factors contribute significantly to the traffic congestion experienced in Lagos State, which has over 16 million people.
The Lagos State Government has established strict measures to enforce regular car parking regulations to address traffic congestion.
In light of this, an X user on Saturday, July 20, 2024, @instablog9ja, made a post claiming that the Lagos State Government is set to start charging car owners who park outside church premises per hour.
“The Lagos State Government has informed churches it will commence its on-street parking scheme, which will allow it to charge cars parked on designated streets hourly,” part of the post read.
As of Monday, July 22, 2024, the post has generated about 32,000 views, 137 likes, 30 reposts, and four bookmarks and has been quoted six times.
Meanwhile, similar posts were made on Facebook, as seen here, here, here, and here.
While some users considered the claim a deceptive means of exploitation in the comment section, others queried why the sanction would not affect other religions in the country.
@Umehh stated, “These guys always come up with new ways to collect money from people without doing anything to help them make more money. It’s just a jungle in Lagos.”
Another user, @SmilesTochi asserted, “Just look for new tax means. That’s all they offer.”
“What about Muslims that use to block road(s) when praying(?) will you also task them for blocking the road(s),” @freedom_barisua wrote.
@GodmademeKing1 questioned, “How about the mosques?”
Meanwhile, similar posts have been made on X here, here, here, and here.
Given the engagement and sensitivity involved, DUBAWA opted to verify the post’s integrity.
Verification
We conducted a Google search to find out if there are any reports on the proposed parking levy for church worshippers. We came across various reports debunking the claim as misleading.
A Channels report on Sunday, Jul. 21, 2024, clarified the Lagos State Government’s stance on imposing levy on church members.
According to the report, the government refuted claims that the new parking policy targets only churches.
The General Manager of the Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA), Adebisi Adelabu, stated that the policy, which will commence in Oct. 2024, will “affect all motorists who intend to utilise the newly created 1,800 parking slots of the Lagos State Parking Authority (LASPA).”
On Monday, Jul. 22, 2024, The Nation newspaper also reported a similar story, adding that notices sent to the concerned institutions are just to inform them of the agency’s readiness to begin implementing the policy unveiled by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in February 2024.
Going through the official handle of the Lagos State Government on X for clarification on the alleged tax on cars parked outside church premises, we found a report debunking the viral claim.
Conclusion
Our findings reveal that the post is misleading. The Lagos State Government refuted the claim, stating that the parking policy would affect every motorist in Lagos State who used from Oct. 2024 the newly created parking slots.