Lagos State Government has clearly stated that no one was given the licence to operate commercial services with motorcycles popularly known as Okada in any part of the state.
The clarification was coming on the heel of the recent ban placed on the Okada commercial services in six local governments and nine local council development areas of the state.
Speaking on Channel Television’s Sunrise Daily, Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotoso, said the state government has wielded the big stick to regulate commercial motorcyclists so that their excesses could be curtailed.
“As far as I am know, Lagos State 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 the motorcyclists so that their excesses can be curtailed.
“But as far as I know, nobody has been licensed to go and start running Okada. It is so unfortunate. You can imagine the rate at which people are dying; the rate at which people are being robbed on the roads; even the police are worried. Everybody is worried,” Omotoso said.
The commissioner also disclosed that the Lagos State Government decided to enforce the ban after a robust assessment of the debate on the rate of accidents in the state.
He alleged that Lagos State University Teaching Hospital (LASUTH) recorded about 104,000 accident cases involving Lagosians with broken arms and legs.
He also made a clarification on the ban, stating that courier services operators are allowed to ply all routes because they don’t constitute so much danger.
According to him, “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.”
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