Lagos State Governor, Mr. Akinwunmi Ambode, is considering the enforcement of a total ban on commercial motorcycles (aka okada) operations in the Lagos metropolis.
This development may not be unconnected with the recent clash in the Ketu-Mile 12 area of the state, allegedly triggered by a dispute between an okada operator and a passerby, which led to the loss of lives and properties worth millions of naira on
A reliable source, who is a senior official of the state government, said that Ambode was under pressure by stakeholders to enforce the ban.
The governor was said to be approaching the state House of Assembly to amend the law from the restriction of okada operations within some routes to total ban of their operations in the state.
The immediate past administration of Mr. Babatunde Fashola had signed the Lagos Road Traffic Law 2012, which restricts okada operations in at least 492 of the 9200 roads across the metropolis in an effort to reduce the menace of their operations in recent past.
The source, who spoke on condition of anonymity, said Ambode is not comfortable with the flagrant abuse of the law by okada riders, which is fast becoming a trend in the state, coupled with reports of some robbery incidents in recent times perpetrated with the use of okada.
The official said, “Don’t forget that there is a law on ground that restricts them on certain routes in the state but they have not been adhering to these laws. They find a way to circumvent laws and government has a duty to safe innocent lives from being wasted. Most of them drive against traffic both during day and night, so the government is weighing the option strongly that the best thing is to ban okada and it is in the interest of the state to do so.
“They (okada riders) are gradually becoming a menace in the state and it is evident in the way they ply restricted routes at any time of the day.
“You are also aware of the recent bloody clash in Ketu-Mile 12 and the increasing threats on lives and properties by terrorists in the country. It has therefore become expedient and imperative for the government to ponder on this option.
“The governor is seriously considering this move because he feels that a mega city like Lagos cannot harbour okada. He feels that the Lagos economy and most especially the transport sector cannot be driven by okada.”
The source also said that the state government is looking towards banning operators of wheel barrows, who, according to him, constitute security risks in the state.
