The Lagos State chapter of the Peoples Democratic
Party has urged the governor of the state, Babatunde Fashola, to stop the
clampdown on commercial motorcyclists, known as Okada.
The Publicity Secretary of the party in Lagos,
Mr. Taofeek Gani, said it was a mark of good leadership to reverse policies
that adversely affected the lives of the people, just like President Goodluck
Jonathan did with the removal of fuel subsidy and the proposed introduction of
N5000 bill.
Gani accused the Action Congress of Nigeria-led
administration of passing the traffic law to open up more avenues for the
generation of revenue for the party to the detriment of Lagos residents.
He said, “Seeing the level of hardship the
restriction Okada has caused, I think the reaction of a sensitive government
would be to reverse the decision. Fashola should learn from Jonathan. When
Jonathan saw the level of protest against the introduction of the N5000 note,
he stopped it. He also reversed the total removal of petroleum subsidy in
January because of the effect it would have on people. That is how leaders who
are interested in the welfare of people act.
“In spite of the fact that internally generated
revenue in Lagos has risen to N48bn per month, they are still looking for
unjust ways to make money. They insisted that firms such as courier companies
should purchase motorcycles from government agents before being permitted to
run on the roads.”
According to Gani, the traffic law is also meant
to frustrate commercial bus drivers, who the new law stipulates must wear
uniforms and badges that are to be purchased from the state government.
He said, “ACN wants to push out all these people
earning a living by transporting people and then handing over transportation in
Lagos to their cronies. They have driven Lagos from capitalism into imperialism.
“ACN is now showing what it is made of.
Before the election in 2011, they gave helmets and vests to the okada riders.
The okada riders were behind Fashola everywhere he went to campaign, then they
were not armed robbers and they were not causing accidents. Weeks after he got
the second term, he started chasing them everywhere. The same thing they did
with the Lekki toll gates. They did not collect any toll until after the
election.”
However, the state government had insisted on the
ban, claiming that no fewer than 619 people were either killed or seriously
injured in commercial motorcycle accidents across the state in the last two
years.
While quoting from the record of the Lagos State
Traffic Management Authority, the Special Adviser to Governor on Media, Mr.
Hakeem Bello, in a statement said out of the number, 107 people died while 512
sustained serious injuries.
Similarly, the state Commissioner of Police, Mr.
Umaru Manko, recently said 98 per cent of robbery incidents in the state were
allegedly committed by okada riders.
He said, “They wait for people at the bank and
other strategic places to rob them. I think the government of Lagos State is
lenient with them. If I were to make law for okada riders, I will recommend
that it should be banned completely.”
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