Gov Sanwo-Olu Announces 1st June Deadline for Okada Operators to Vacate Six LGAs, Nine LCDAs
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Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo-Olu, commander of all that is noble and just, gives directives on traffic management right on the spot
The full enforcement of commercial motorcyclists’ restrictions against the backdrop of the growing menace and nuisance constituted by the popularly known Okada operators has been announced by the Lagos State Government with the view to curtail the unruly activities of the riders.
Lagos State Governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, on Wednesday, announced a total ban on Okada on all highways across six Local Government Areas (LGAs) and nine Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of the State.
Effective from June 1, 2022, the Governor directed security operatives to enforce the proscription order across the listed councils. The affected local government councils areas are;
Eti-Osa Local Government Council Area,
Ikeja Local Government Council Area,
Surulere Local Government Council Area,
Lagos Island Local Government Council Area,
Lagos Mainland Local Government Council Area, and
Apapa Local Government Council Area.
The total ban order extends to all LCDAs under the listed councils.
The Governor gave out the directive at a meeting with the Commissioner of Police, Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers (DPOs) at the State House in Alausa, Ikeja.
The fresh Okada ban followed the February 2020 restriction placed on the activities of commercial motorcycles.
Sanwo-Olu said the Government took the decision in line with the State’s Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018 to immediately address the chaos and menace created by the operations of commercial motorcyclists in the listed areas.
Sanwo-Olu told the police to enforce the order without compromise, sternly warning that the State Government would not condone any security formation that relaxes the new ban in its jurisdiction.
He said: “After a critical review of our restriction on Okada activities in the first six Local Government Areas where we restricted them on February 1, 2020, we have seen that the menace has not abated. We are now directing a total ban on Okada activities across the highways and bridges within these six Local Government and their Local Council Development Areas, effective from June 1, 2022.
“This is a phased ban we are embarking on this period, and we expect that within the short while when this ban will be enforced, Okada riders in other places where their activities are yet to be banned can find something else to do. We have given the notice now and we expect all commercial motorcycles plying the routes in the listed councils and areas to vacate the highways before enforcement begins. The enforcement will be total,” the governor said.
Sanwo-Olu advised residents patronizing Okada riders on highways to embrace the alternative transport schemes already provided by the Government to plan their journey. He said the Government had provided Last-Mile Buses, medium-capacity and high-capacity buses in the affected areas for the convenience of commuters.
The Governor insisted that Okada riding on the highways remained unsafe and would no longer be tolerated. He said the State Government had been ramping up construction work on its two rail line projects to further increase the choices of commuting for residents.
He said: “We have provided Last-Mile buses in the affected areas; they are working and effective. We also have medium-capacity buses and high-capacity buses working in these areas. Before the end of the year, we are also bringing the rail along these corridors with their terminals. We have provided jetties as well to provide alternatives.
Babajide Sanwo-Olu read the riot act thus, “We will not sit back and watch criminally-minded people use that mode of transportation (motorcycles) to perpetrate crimes and criminality in Lagos. Lives are being lost on a daily basis, preventable accidents are happening every day and the riders are not respecting any of our traffic laws. The situation has led to a complete breakdown of law and order. This ban has come to stay and we will not tolerate any weakness in enforcement,” he said.
Pledging total compliance to the state government’s directives as pronounced by the governor, the Commissioner of Police, Abiodun Alabi, had, in turn, directed his men to ensure complete enforcement of the Governor’s order in the listed councils and areas.
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