Babajide Sanwo-Olu, governor of
Lagos state, says the decision to restrict motorcycles in several parts of the
state was taken after a review of available statistics on accidents and crimes.
Sanwo-Olu had said his
administration would harmonise okada operations and develop a regulation system
for better accountability.
“To also solve the traffic issue of
Lagos is also to talk about the okada issue; okada is everywhere, anywhere you
see. Part of the things that we are going to be doing is not to leave anybody
behind. People are currently using a system that is working for them,” he had
said. (read HERE)
“You see some okada riders that are
branded, that use smart ways to pay when you finish the journey. We are trying
to harmonise all of them and be able to come up with a regulation system where
we can account for every okada rider.
“We will know who they are, we can
manage them. In fact, the solutions that some of them are bringing, they can
disable those okadas remotely. That is where we are planning to get to but it
is also something that we need to think through very well and be sure that
nobody is disenfranchised.”
Critics of the governor had accused
him of not keeping to his words but on Monday, Gboyega Akosile, the governor’s
spokesman, said that Sanwo-Olu never mentioned whether a ban will be
placed on motorcycles or not.
Akosile said the governor was not
categorical in his remarks, adding that it would be incorrect to say he
promised not to ban motorcycles in the state
“There is nothing like ban. We did
not ban okada. The law has been there for years, what we have done is to
reactivate this law. The past administration was the one that relaxed it and
when they relaxed it, they saw the influx of these people into Lagos
unchecked,” he said.
“What the governor said at The
Platform is neither here nor there. We are looking at the current situation. Do
you know that the governor may have said something last year but between that
last year and now, the dynamics would have changed? The only constant thing in
life is change.”
The state government had commenced
implementation of okada and tricycle ban in 15 local councils in the state
since February 1.
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