No To Okada:Stakeholders Agreed On Total Clamp Down On okada In Lagos

Samuel Mobolaji

Due to insecurities and to reduce accident and crime rates in Lagos state, Stakeholders in the Transportation Sector of the state agreed that there should be no okada in the all LGAs of the state.

This was agreed in a Stakeholders forum on Tuesday Organised by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu in order to assess the ban placed on commercial motorcycle, Mostly referred to as Okada which as taken effect since June 1, 2022 in the state .

The Ban which as been enforced and as had a positive turnup took effect in six local Government Areas which are surulere, Eti-Osa, Lagos Island, Ikeja, and Lagos Mainland of the state.

At the Review were Lagos state Honorable commisioner for Transportation Frederic Oladehinde, Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation Hon. Sola Giwa, Honourable Commissioner For Information And Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso Prof. Bamidele Badejo, Royal Fathers , Security Agencies and more.

L-R: HC. Gbenga omotoso, Dr. Frederic Oladeinde and SA. Sola Giwa at the forum.

Dr. Frederic at the Assessment Welcomed everyone to the forum and futherly spoke on the Ban of Okada in the state. In his words, the commissioner recalled that on the 18th May, 2022, Mr. Governor made a pronouncement on the total ban of motorcycle operations in six (6) Local Government (LGs) and the respective nine (9) Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) under them including all major bridges and highways of the State and the subsequent inauguration of the Lagos State Anti-Okada Squad saddled with the responsibility to aid the police and taskforce to implement and enforce total compliance with respect to the law for the safety of Lagosians.

He Also said, the affected areas within the period under review, available records’ show that crime and accident rate reduced astronomically by 86% and 63.7% respectively while a total of 7,500 motorcycles were impounded and crushed accordingly and would like Lagosians to all join hands together by cooperating with the arrangement deployed by the State Government, geared towards combating the monster that Okada operation has created, so that sanity can return to our State.

Security Agencies across the state present at the forum

Also At the Review, Prof. Bamidele Badejo who was one of the key note speakers, spoke on the Menace of Okada which includes Security and safety challenges, Health consequences, Inefficiency in Operations,High incidence of Okada crashes, Entropy i.e. confusion on the highways, None compliance with extant traffic rules and regulations, High level of indiscipline and harassment Social, environment and economic implications in the state.

Prof. Bamidele in his words said there is need to ensure that the ban placed on Okada is permanent and other areas of the state yet to be affected by the ban should be considered for continuous elimination from the Lagos highways. However, there is urgent need to respond to the vacuum and gap created by the ban placed on Okada through improved public transportation system, urgent intermodal and integrated transport infrastructure development response.

Anti-Okada Squad Also present at the forum

He said, The fear by Okada riders concerning unemployment should be addressed through robust public enlightenment and engagement strategy because the response from government to improve transportation from an intermodal and integrated point of view is an inroad for employment opportunities as well as improved health situation and social sustainability.

The review which had a debate session gave rooms for interaction between the key notes speakers and also stakeholders members to deliberate and interact on what next After the Ban.

At the end of the debate session, and having hearing several opinions from the stakeholders in the Transportation Sector of Lagos state, it was concluded that Okada should be Ban in All LGAs of the state to Ensure Adequate Security and protection of Lagosians and also Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu should work in hand with Neighbouring states Governor to ensure the Ban is strictly Adhere to.

Hon. Giwa with the closing remarks thanked everyone who made there selves available for the review.

He Also thanked the Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu for making the day possible and also the royal Fathers, officers representing the security information in the state, Community heads and other transport stake holders.