VAIDS

Saturday, November 7, 2009

Use okada at your own risk - Fashola

Lagos State governor Babatunde Fashola said on Tuesday at the WIMBIZ 8th Annual Conference, that the state government does not need to ban commercial motorcyclists popularly known as okada. He was responding to requests to ban okada which is generally considered as a dangerous means of transportation. The governor made these remarks at the conference which held at the Expo Hall, Eko Hotel and Suites. He said it was the responsibility of Lagosians to choose whether to use okada or not.

"If you know that something is harmful to you, why should government ban it?" he asked. "You owe yourself the responsibility to say this thing is not good for me; I will not use it again. I cannot, just by the wave of the pen, say do away with them. They responded to provide services due to a failure in our transportation system."
According to the governor, the commercial motorcycles, which become popular in the 1990s, came into existence when the state's taxi system was not able to meet the demands of an increasing population.

"In those days taxi system was effective," he said. "In Ikoyi, the bus system stopped at Keffi, then you have to use taxis to move around. After some time, they started dying off and a lot more people came into Lagos so okada evolved as an alternative means of transport. We also caused it. When you build your office in a residential area, how do you expect your staff to get to work without okada? How does your maid who comes to mind your child or your driver who comes to pick you get to your home without okada? Our responsibility as government is to maintain a balance between those who have and those who don't have."

Some Lagos residents who spoke to NEXT shared the governor's opinion. They said that in spite of the high rate of accidents involving okada, it was the fastest way to get anywhere, especially in Lagos where taxis and commercial buses can be stuck in traffic for hours.
For Blessing Alex, government can ban okada but after it has provided an alternative.
"It's okay for government to ban okada because it very dangerous, but they should first of all provide an alternative means because for now it's the fastest means," she said. "As I'm going now, I'm going to take okada even though I don't like it."
Another Lagos resident, James Bankole, said that government should not ban okada because of the service they provide.

"Government should not ban okada," he said. "It's only with okada that you can enter the nooks and crannies of different neighbourhoods. They get to where buses and taxis don't get to."
While the governor did not say he would order okada banned, he revealed that he had no sympathy for anyone who took the risky means of transportation
"I told my wife long ago that if any of my relative uses okada and get injured, I will not come to the hospital to see him or her," he said.

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