The Lagos State Government on Tuesday declared that the government has not issued licence to any person or group to operate branded commercial services with motorcycles, – okada.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, on Channels Television programme, Sunrise Daily, on Tuesday declared: “You are talking about registration; as far as I am concerned, the government has not registered any company to come and be running okada.
“In fact, what the government was trying to look at is how to regulate these people so that their excesses can be curtailed.
“But as far as I know, nobody has been licenced to go and start running okada because it is unfortunate that … the rate at which people are dying; the rate at which people are being robbed on the roads; the police are worried, everybody is worried.”
The commissioner explained the decision of the Lagos State Government to enforce the ban on motorcycles and tricycles – keke – on major roads and bridges effect from February 1, 2020.
He said that the State Security Council took the decision after a robust assessment of the debate on the rate of accidents in the state.
He decried that the Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) recorded about 104,000 accident cases involving Lagosians with broken arms and legs.
Omotosho said that a large number of the poor people have asked the government to ban okada.
He, however, noted some exceptions, saying “The guys who are doing courier services, for example, they don’t carry passengers and they don’t constitute so much danger. So, those ones are allowed.
“They have to be above 200cc and you have to have a box behind you that you are doing courier service and you don’t have to carry passengers; you have to be well-kitted and wear your helmet.”