Riding on expressway suicidal, Gov Abiodun tells Ogun commercial motorcyclists

The Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, yesterday warned commercial motorcyclists, popularly called ‘okada’ riders, to desist from operating on expressways, describing the practice as “suicidal”, not only to the riders, but also to their passengers. Abiodun stated this yesterday when he inaugurated the Ogun State Transport Master Plan Committee in his office at Oke-Mosan, […]

The Ogun State governor, Prince Dapo Abiodun, yesterday warned commercial motorcyclists, popularly called ‘okada’ riders, to desist from operating on expressways, describing the practice as “suicidal”, not only to the riders, but also to their passengers.

Abiodun stated this yesterday when he inaugurated the Ogun State Transport Master Plan Committee in his office at Oke-Mosan, Abeokuta.

The governor said allowing motorcyclists to operate in the state was to serve as a means of moving people from the interior parts of the town to major roads.

He regretted that the riders had abandoned the role and had been plying the expressways. Abiodun noted that the act was “appalling” and something must be done to stop it.

“We have the menace of these okadas; it is not limited to Ogun State alone. I recall that when the okada operation was introduced, it was meant to serve the people on the internal roads. They were not meant to ply the major roads. Worse, they were not meant to ply highways.

Today, you see okada on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway. I think that must stop,” he said.

He charged members of the Committee to come up with measures that would discourage motorcycle operators from such act.

“In the meantime, you need to come up with a decision on okada operators and how to stop them from plying the highways. We must not see any okada on the Lagos-Ibadan expressway because this is completely unacceptable.

“That road was not built for okada. It is not our intention to dispossess the people of employment or business opportunities, but at the same time, we must do so within the context and confine of what works for us and we want to ensure that things are better organised,” he said.

The governor said the inauguration of the Steering Committee of the

Ogun State Transportation Master Plan was in furtherance of his administration’s commitment to the development of the transport sector as an integral part of the economic system of the state.

The Steering Committee, according to the governor, was expected to complete its assignment in 12 weeks.

Responding on behalf of the members, the Chairman of the Committee, who is also the Commissioner for Transportation, Engineer Gbenga Dairo, noted that transportation was critical in the socio-economic well-being of the people, saying that the members would hit the ground running and come up with a master plan that the state would be proud of.