According to the state government, just because the governor Babatunde Raji Fashola backed down on the tuition fee of the Lagos State University, does not mean the government compromises the safety of the residents.
The government, which said that the tuition fee reduction was incomparable with restriction on the operation of the commercial motorcyclists, also known as ‘Okada riders’, explained that the policy was jointly taken by the states of the federation at the National Council on Transports in 2011.
The Chairman of the Committee on LASU tuition fee reduction and the State’s Commissioner for Transportation, Comrade Kayode Opeifa, who made the disclosure, said a reversal in policy was not an option.
He explained that most states in Nigeria had banned operation of commercial motorcyclists without a law before Lagos, adding that Lagos only restricted their operation from 475 roads out of the 9,100 roads in the state.
His words: “A reversal in policy is not an option for the lives that have been saved. The number of lives that is to be saved cannot be compromised. We’ve saved 50 lives on monthly basis. We have prevented an average of 500 injuries monthly. A reversal in policy, even though change is in evitable, is not an option for the lives that had been saved. You cannot say you want to reverse the use of motorcycles on prohibited roads, so that you will have more accidents and deaths.
“Reversing the LASU fees doesn’t harm government, and doesn’t harm the citizens. By going back to N25, 000, it shows that government is sensitive to the needs and aspiration of the people. Don’t forget that the students were not asking for N25, 000. What the students and ASUU were asking for was N50, 000. This is different from Okada restriction policy because by reversing the policy, most people will die.”
Opeifa reiterated that the state government would not comprise on the safety of lives for any political reasons.
He further argued that although the motorbikes restriction affected some people who used it as a source of livelihood, it was how better for the government to ensure the safety of its populace, adding that there were other means of sourcing for income.
The government, which said that the tuition fee reduction was incomparable with restriction on the operation of the commercial motorcyclists, also known as ‘Okada riders’, explained that the policy was jointly taken by the states of the federation at the National Council on Transports in 2011.
The Chairman of the Committee on LASU tuition fee reduction and the State’s Commissioner for Transportation, Comrade Kayode Opeifa, who made the disclosure, said a reversal in policy was not an option.
He explained that most states in Nigeria had banned operation of commercial motorcyclists without a law before Lagos, adding that Lagos only restricted their operation from 475 roads out of the 9,100 roads in the state.
His words: “A reversal in policy is not an option for the lives that have been saved. The number of lives that is to be saved cannot be compromised. We’ve saved 50 lives on monthly basis. We have prevented an average of 500 injuries monthly. A reversal in policy, even though change is in evitable, is not an option for the lives that had been saved. You cannot say you want to reverse the use of motorcycles on prohibited roads, so that you will have more accidents and deaths.
“Reversing the LASU fees doesn’t harm government, and doesn’t harm the citizens. By going back to N25, 000, it shows that government is sensitive to the needs and aspiration of the people. Don’t forget that the students were not asking for N25, 000. What the students and ASUU were asking for was N50, 000. This is different from Okada restriction policy because by reversing the policy, most people will die.”
Opeifa reiterated that the state government would not comprise on the safety of lives for any political reasons.
He further argued that although the motorbikes restriction affected some people who used it as a source of livelihood, it was how better for the government to ensure the safety of its populace, adding that there were other means of sourcing for income.
“What happens in LASU tuition fee reduction was a rear gesture born out of consideration of economic realities of residents. It’s incomparable with restriction of commercial motorcycles operation on the roads. We have reduced road accidents by 80-90 percent,” Opeifa explained.
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