By Akinwale Kasali
Commercial Motorcyclists, popularly known as Okada Riders in local parlance have stormed the office of Governor Babajide Olusola Sanwo Olu in Alausa, Ikeja, to plead with him to rescind his decision on the ban of Okada in new six Local Government Areas in the State.
The ban which takes effect from September 1st, 2022, prompted thousands of ‘Okada’ riders into pleading that the clampdown will have a great effect on their source of livelihood.
It would be recalled that the Lagos State Governor announced an additional six Local Government Areas where Okada will not be in operation in addition to the previous nine Local Government Area as part of its efforts to improve the security situation in the State.
Earlier, traditional rulers, religious leaders, residents, Community Development Associations, among others had called on the Lagos State Government to consider a total ban on the operations of Okada riders across the state to end the menace and security threat posed by the group.
In response to the pleas, on May 18, 2022, Sanwo-Olu made a pronouncement on the total ban on Okada operations in six LGAs, and the respective nine Local Council Development Areas, LCDAs, under them including all major bridges and highways of the State. He subsequently inaugurated the Lagos State Anti-Okada Squad saddled with the responsibility to aid the police and taskforce to implement and enforce total compliance of the ban.
Sanwo-Olu had on May 10, 2021, reviewed the 2012 Lagos Traffic Law guiding the Okada operations, after his predecessors, Babatunde Fashola and Akinwunmi Ambode’s administrations banned their activities.
The initial six LGAs and nine LCDAs are: Apapa, Apapa-Iganmu LCDA, Ikeja, Ojodu, Onigbongbo, Lagos Island, Lagos Island West, Lagos Island East LCDAs, Lagos Mainland, Yaba LCDA, Surulere, Coker Aguda, Itire-Ikate LCDA.
Others include: Eti-Osa, Eti-Osa East, Eti-Osa West, Iru Victoria Island and Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA.
The additional four councils affected by the pronouncement, include: Kosofe, Ikosi-Isheri, Agboyi-Ketu LCDAs, Oshodi-Isolo, Isolo, Ejigbo LCDAs, Shomolu, Bariga LCDA and Mushin, Odi-Olowo LCDA.
The protesting Okada riders were led by the Chairman of Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State, MOALS), Ramoni Eleniyan and few other union leaders.
The leadership of Okada association later proceeded to an emergency meeting with government officials led by Deputy Governor, Dr. Obafemi Hamzat to discuss an amicable solution to the issue.
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