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By Lukman Olabiyi
Lagos State government has disclosed that over 5,000 motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, were crushed in the first quarter of 2022.
This was revealed by the state Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotoso on Friday, while speaking with journalists at the crushing of another set of 2,000 motorcycles.
Omotoso urged Okada riders to embrace the many alternative modes of transportation provided by the government, as there were plans to inject more First and Last Mile buses into the metropolis.He said that in the first four months of 2022, the state recorded 1,712 accidents, 767 of which were caused by Okada, resulting in death. He said 45 per cent of the riders were youths between 30 and 39 years.
‘’So, taking Okada off the roads is helping our young ones to stay alive, it is not hurting our people. We are not leaving them to their own devices and so we have said anyone who is interested in doing a decent business can form cooperative and join the First and Last Mile bus scheme.
“They can present their proposals to the State’s Employment Trust Fund and get money to fund their businesses. We have vocational centres where they can learn a trade and start a new life. So, anyone saying Okada is the only way to earn a living in Lagos is not doing any good,’’ the commissioner said. Also speaking at the event, Shola Jejeloye, the chairman, Lagos State Environmental and Special Offences Unit (Taskforce) disclosed that there is 85 per cent compliance on Okada ban in the last three days. He said that the enforcement of the ban would continue so as to ensure sanity of the environment.
According to him, the enforcement of the ban did not just begin on Wednesday, June 1, but has been in force since Feb. 1, 2020.
Jejeloye said that there was no going back on enforcement of Okada ban, as government does not make mockery of its policies and decisions.
