Lagos bars Okada from highways

MANSUR OLADUNJOYE

LAGOS State government has banned the operations of commercial motorcycle popularly called okada on all major highways in the state, saying the measure would check the menace of avoidable auto accidents.

Daily Champion reliably learnt that Governor Babatunde Fashola ordered his Special Adviser on Transportation, Kayode Opeifa to summon a parley with the two Okada unions and convey the decision because of the recent accident at Ikeja bus stop during which five people died and several other passengers hospitalised.

It was also gathered that the accident was as a result of a reckless motorcyclist, who dangerously overtook a molue bus whose driver in a bid to avoiding him ran into a ditch.

"The steps became necessary because of the need to control and regulate the okada operations so as to reduce the alarming rate of avoidable accidents and its attendant social implication," Opeifa said.

Opeifa who conveyed the state government’s displeasure over the flagrant abuse of traffic rules and regulations by okada riders in the state further noted the measures put in place by government to curtail the excesses of the motorcyclists.

"These include the outright banning of okada on all major highways, expressways and roads in the state, the restriction to one passenger, total compliance to driving against traffic and strict obedience to traffic lights amongst others," he said.

The government however urged the unions’ leaders in the state to warn its members not to compel government to take far reaching sanctions against the commercial motorcycle operators.

Responding, the unions’ leaders agreed to control and regulate the operations of motorcycles as a means of transportation in the state, alleging the incursion of non-Nigerians and non registered members into the operations as hindering the effective monitoring of its unions.

Opeifa, however, charged the union leaders to draw an action-plan to be discussed at the meeting of stakeholders to be convened without further delay.

http://www.champion-newspapers.com/news/article_11.htm

Whaoo!! This is long overdue.

lol. . .

okada again?

Time will tell if this option is okay with LASG workers nd others alike.

Its working in Port Harcourt.

Its long over-due!!!
An okada man caused an Accident that killed a family at Ilasa along Oshodi Expressway about 2 months ago.

Not for the unreliable transport system, they should be banned totally!!

This is another avenue for the Nigeria Police to make money by arresting and collecting bribe from defaulters instead of enforcing the law.
My take is that they should be outrightly banned.

otokx:

Its working in Port Harcourt.

Its also working in Abuja.

lets hope this law will last this time, there was a time they were prohibited from operating after six o'clock in the evening. . .and that diddnt turn out too well

yes

Emperoh:

Its long over-due!!!
An okada man caused an Accident that killed a family at Ilasa along Oshodi Expressway about 2 months ago.

The accident shown in the picture below was caused by Okada on Saturday sending five people to their early graves.

fine. hope the state govt has emplaced alternative means to ease transportation problem in the metropolis

If not for the bad transportation sysytem in Lag, i wld have suggested outright ban

too many Aboki's on the road riding okadas, cool move by lagos govt.

Another feather on fashola's wing.
Safety comes first and this will make people a lil more safe.

FerrariGP:

too many Aboki's on the road riding okadas, cool move by lagos govt.

abi o! and the way they ride. . .you'll think they have nine lives or somn'. i keep telling them kadan kadan but noooooo, they think they're invicible

Yes, I used to think it was the Yoruba riders that were crazy until one Hausa hommie carried me. Didn't even know what to tell him but pray.

Okada should be banned completely, its another means people from the under world (armed robbers) deprive people of their belonging. I was a victim 2 week ago and they escaped via okaka

What about reckless Danfo Drivers?well i bet this can never work in Victoria Island.mark my word.

If they really wanna make it work, it will work.

spikedcylinder:

In your eye, you've made a lot of sense.

made sense in mine too

This is no doubt a laudable step. My fear is how can we efforce this?

Fhemmmy:

If they really wanna make it work, it will work.

actually they do, in the north the governors give out a lot of motorcycles so they are plenty and some of them find their way to lagos where they are used for okada and in some cases some of the riders/drivers are not literate not to talk of knowing the highway code!

plus i'm in the north now and its still the same thing. . . u're twice as likely to see a northerner that cant ride than any of the other various tribes
(hell i even see some 12year olds riding motorcycles here)

gd decision. lets see if the okada riders would obey

Why not a complete ban? It is working in some Naija cities.

i joined nairaland recently, but i dont know how to post a topic.

i have interesting topic to share with you guy.

pls someone should kindly asist me

Why not train these okada riders to be more sensible and fully competently licensed in using their bikes?
Many people in Naija also drive like they are mad, we need standardized rules and regulations for the road.

I remember when I was in ABJ and seeing peeps running red lights just because their was no traffic at the adjacent intersection.
Worst of all no one wears seat belts and some are even intoxicated in Nigeria.
It is not just okada riders who lack safety on the roads.

JosBoy4Lif:

Why not train these okada riders to be more sensible and fully competently licensed in using their bikes?
Many people in Naija also drive like they are mad, we need standardized rules and regulations for the road.

I remember when I was in ABJ and seeing peeps running red lights just because their was no traffic at the adjacent intersection.
Worst of all no one wears seat belts and some are even intoxicated in Nigeria.
It is not just okada riders who lack safety on the roads.

Train them to ride on the Highway?
Would you allow an okada man to take you on highway 401, QEW or any highway for that matter.
that is even with the fact that everyone has right of way in Canada, not to talk of a place where the drive macho it all and can kill you and run away.

Long overdue! This reminds me of my friend that lost his life while on highway ridding on Okada.