Event centres and club houses operating in Lagos are now to seek and obtain approval from the state government to hold their events.
The latest directive is an addition to an earlier, also issued by the state government to operators of event centres and clubs, to, going forward, notify Lagos State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) for adequate traffic management and parking arrangements, when they are to hold events.
The government says henceforth any operator that flouts the directives shall be sanctioned accordingly. Frederic Oladeinde, the commissioner for transportation, who issued the latest directive, said it has become imperative for event centres, clubs and similar organisations in the state to obtain a written consent of LASTMA for their party/events at least a week before such event or party is held.
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He said the directive became necessary to allow LASTMA have enough time to plan for the management of traffic in the area to avoid obstructions of traffic by the attendants.
Oladeinde observed that illegal parking of vehicles by event attendees and other merry makers have always resulted in traffic gridlocks in the metropolis, adding that with this new arrangement, LASTMA would work with the event centres to plan for efficient traffic management during and after such events for free flow of traffic.
Urging operators of event centres, clubs and other places of attraction across the state to abide by this rules and regulations, the commissioner warned that any commercial event centre, club/lounge that failed to obtain written approval from LASTMA for effective traffic planning would henceforth, be shut down and may not be re-opened.
He stated that the relevant provisions of the state’s traffic laws guiding operations of event centres/ clubs were still in force, warning that the government would not hesitate to apply the law on any erring event centre/ club that failed to comply with this directive.
The commissioner appealed to the residents to support the six-pillar development agenda of the state government for efficient traffic free flow.
