Lagos govt, please revisit ban on Okada

The Lagos State Government on Monday proscribed the operations of okada and tricycle riders in six local governments and nine local council development areas of the state. The government, while directing security operatives to embark on total enforcement of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018, also ordered that the riders must not ply […]

The Lagos State Government on Monday proscribed the operations of okada and tricycle riders in six local governments and nine local council development areas of the state.

The government, while directing security operatives to embark on total enforcement of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018, also ordered that the riders must not ply major highways and 40 bridges and flyovers across the state.

The restriction and enforcement also affect the newly introduced “O pay ride, Gokada ride” and other similar commercial motorcycles.

The notice did not however specify if it included private power bike owners. The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotosho, said the proscription would take effect from February 1. Omotosho, in a release, said the decision was in response to ‘scary figures’ of fatal accidents recorded from Okada and tricycle operators in the state between 2016 and 2019.

Some of the affected local governments include the state capital, Ikeja, Lagos Mainland, Lagos Island, Apapa, Surulere, Eti Osa among others.

The commissioner said the measure became necessary following flagrant disregards to the traffic law by the operators and more so, the need to further ensure the safety of lives and property of residents and members of the public in general.

Notwithstanding the plausible reason put forward by the state government for the proscription, there is need to revisit the decision in view of the far reaching attendant negative impact on the citizens and operators.

Given the bad and unmotorable road networks in some parts of the state, Okada and tricycles have been the only alternative means through which people can access most parts of the city.

Hence, proscribing the operation of Okada and tricycles would further inflict more hardships on Lagosians who have depended on these means of transportation for decades.

Movement within and around Lagos would be a herculean task for residents if the decision on the outright ban on these modes of transportation is not reviewed.

Besides, a number of these operators are into this business not for the fun of it but just to earn a decent living amidst rising unemployment in the country. The implication is that thousands of youths would be thrown out to the already saturated unemployment market.

With the country still battling with high level insecurity and criminal activities, it would be unwise to further aggravate the bad situation by plunging more people into idleness, knowing that “an idle mind is the devil’s workshop”.

In view of the foregoing, instead of proscribing the activities of okada and motorcycle operators out rightly, it would be good, if the government can put in place, adequate measures that would check their excesses.

The government can equip its taskforce and traffic management authorities to put the activities of these operators in check.

Furthermore, the traffic management authorities could equally license those who are into the okada and motorcycle businesses as measures of restoring sanity on Lagos roads.

Kayode Gbenga, writes from Lagos Island