Ban on Commercial Motorcycle -Okada- in 10 LGAs, 15 LCDAs, Very Much in Force- Sola Giwa
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Mr. Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, Lagos State Governor, takes head-on, the transportation challenges in the state with the highest vehicular density in Central and West Africa.
Lagos State Government has reminded commercial motorcyclists popularly known as Okada operators that, the law restricting their operations from 10 Local Governments Areas, LGAs, and 15 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, is still very much in force and will cease from barking and begin to bite.
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Hon. Sola Giwa, reiterated the reminder during his tour of some restricted areas in the state and found a large number of motorcyclists operating as if the law on the ban never existed.
Hon Giwa, enumerated the local governments and local council development areas in which commercial motorcycling operation was prohibited in Lagos state.
For the benefit of the doubt, Hon. Giwa chronicled the ten local governments that the prohibition of Okada operations is still in force as, Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Somolu, Mushin, Apapa, Ikeja, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Surulere and Eti-Osa.
While the 15 Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, where the ban is still in force Giwa recounted as; Ojodu, Onigbongbo, Lagos Island East, Yaba, and Coker Aguda. With others at; Itire-Ikate, Eti-Osa West, Iru Victoria Island, Ikoyi-Obalende, Ikosi-Isheri, Agboyi-Ketu, Isolo, Ejigbo, Bariga, and Odi-Olowo.
Giwa appealed to both the riders and the potential passengers to strive not to be caught on the wrong side of the law as there is a penalty for both the rider and their passenger whenever they’re caught running afoul of the law.
He said anyone caught running afoul of the law, either as rider or passenger when found guilty after trial in a court of competent jurisdiction, risks three years imprisonment.
Giwa implored the general public to comply with the provision of Section 46, sub-section 1, 2 & 3 of the Transport Sector Reform Law (TSRL), 2018, which prescribed a penalty when convicted, impounding of the motorcycle which ultimately will be publicly crushed.
The Special Adviser reassured all those who may wish to opt out of Okada business that, the state government had numerous alternatives in small, medium, and micro enterprises that can sustain them and make them more dignified.
Highlighting some of the viable alternatives, Giwa named the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA); (vocational training), Ministry of Wealth Creations and Employment; (internship programs), Office of Civic Engagement, Office of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) (Loan for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises MSMEs), Lagos Economic Acceleration Program “LEAP”) and the Ministry of Agriculture (Agric YES) are all trade support for the riders.
He also said the State Government’s First and Last Mile Bus Transport Scheme, the BRT Scheme, the Lagos e-hailing taxi Scheme (LAGRIDE), and other sustainable modes of transportation were also part of interventions provided to minimize the inconveniences of the motoring public in executing their daily activities.
Giwa reassured that the government’s position on Okada is unambiguous and would rather consolidate on the achievements made so far in the drastic reduction of road accidents, reduced crime rates as well as the return of sanity to the communities within the State.
He added that the Security operatives who are partners in enforcing the law- such as the Nigeria Police Force, the Army, Navy, and Air force- are still very much on the ground to sustain enforcement on all the banned corridors, as well as the State Traffic Management Authority, (LASTMA) and the Anti-Okada Squad.
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