The Lagos State Government on Sunday declared that it was not embarking on any review of the 475 routes in the state where the operations of commercial motorcycles, popularly known as okada, have been banned.
This declaration is against the resolution passed by the Lagos State House of Assembly recently stating the decision of the House to review the routes and resolve areas of controversies.
The House’s resolution came following complaints about Police harassments, brutality and extortion suffered by motorcycle riders who carry out their activities legally on the routes not affected by the Lagos State Road Traffic Law passed in 2012.
On Sunday evening, the state government, in a statement signed by the Special Adviser to Governor Babatunde Fashola on Information and Strategy, Mr. Lateef Raji, debunked what it called insinuations, especially in the social media, of a plan to review the State’s Road Traffic Law 2012 concerning operations of commercial motorcycles, saying the government has no intention of reversing itself on the matter as the law was made in response to popular demand.
Raji emphasised that it had no plans, either now on in the near future, to reverse itself on the matter of Okada operations in the state pointing out that by that decision to restrict the movement of commercial motorcycle riders, considerable gains have been made in the area of protection of life and property in the state.
Noting that the decision to regulate okada operation was not a unilateral one, Raji maintained that the government acted in response to the popular demand of the general public who were at the receiving end of the fatalities of commercial motorcycle’s daily operations.
Raji reiterated that the Road Traffic Law did not ban okada operation in the state but restricted a category of motorcycles from operating on only 475 out of the 9,100 roads in the state, which represents a mere 5.6 percent of Lagos roads. He added that the result and impact of the decision has been tremendous.
According to the statement, an average of 16 deaths and 646 injured patients were being recorded at the state’s secondary and tertiary hospitals every month as a result of motorcycle related accidents, but by March this year the number had dropped to only one to two deaths and less than 100 injured victims of okada accidents a month.
“No doubt, we have all the reasons to thump our chest that we have been responsive and responsible in the discharge of our duty to the people of Lagos,” Raji said, adding that no matter what the cynics think or say, Lagos State government is the only government that has given recognition to the use of motorcycle as a means of commercial transportation through the instrument of the law and regulations meant to protect the riders and the generality of the citizenry.
Indicating that government knows where the misinformation is coming from and the objective it is meant to achieve, Raji declared: “we are very much aware that in some jurisdictions controlled by the sponsors of this malicious propaganda, they have, through the instrumentality of raw power, banned outright the use of motorcycles.
“The reason and motive of the sponsors of this unpopular agenda is obviously to set the stage for roguish conduct in the 2015 election.
“Their action is not altruistic but sinister. Their subtle and malicious campaign is to aid their sinister plots of fomenting trouble and snatching ballot boxes with the use of motorcycles during the forthcoming general elections. Such evil plans will have no place in Lagos.”
He thanked the general public for their concern over the issue, and thanked, specially, those he referred to as “law-abiding okada riders” who, appreciate that the government is more concerned with their safety and well-being than those who are trying to incite them against the law. He assured them that government is committed to continue working for the safety of Lagosians.
Enjoining all motorcycle riders to go about their lawful duties by obeying the provisions of the state’s Road Traffic Law which are made for their safety and that of the general public, Raji said the duty of a responsible government is to protect life and property, and that the government of Lagos State will continue to do so through the Road Traffic Law 2012.
Raji directing that all incidents of wrongful arrest or oppression by law enforcement agencies should be promptly reported, individually or through Union Executives, to the Attorney General’s Office or Office of the Public Defender for prompt action.
