Four weeks after the banning/restriction on Okada and Keke Marwa by the Lagos State Government on Lagos roads, ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE writes on what it portends for the transport systems in the megacity.
When the Lagos State Government on February 3, started the ban/restriction of commercial motorcycles and tricycles, popularly called Okada and Keke Marwa from some of its roads, it was a decision that was saluted for its boldness and courage.
While some of the residents saw the policy as one in the right direction and would want a state-wide restriction, others called out to the government “for attempting to clamp some people out of supposed legitimate means of livelihood”.
To assuage the pains of commuters, the government have rolled out 65 maxi-buses, and eight brand new ferries for the comfort of residents living around the riverine communities. Mini saloon taxis are also being rolled out to further bridge the supply chain and make the people more comfortable.
The restriction was Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu’s first major commitment at sanitising the transportation space. The governor, whose major pillar of promise is transportation and traffic control, left no one in doubt that he had the political will to clean the Augean stable.
The Deputy Governor, Dr Obafemi Kadiri Hamzat, only last week asked those agitating a reverse of the policy to perish the thought. “We are not going back on the directive restricting okada operation in some parts of the state, because we have a responsibility to protect lives and property of the larger majority of the people,” Hamzat said.
The Commissioner for Information and Strategy Mr Gbenga Omotoso said the government’s decision to ban Okada and Keke was hinged on the rising rate of accidents and crimes associated with them.
Omotoso, had said: “After consultations with stakeholders, the state Security Council, in compliance with the extant Transport Sector Reform Law, 2018, decided to commence enforcement of the law, which bans the operations of Okada and Keke in six local government areas and nine local council development areas.”
Giving reasons for the ban, he said: “The figures are scary. From 2016 to 2019, there were over 10,000 accidents recorded at the state’s 22 general hospitals alone. This excludes unreported cases and those recorded by other hospitals. The total number of deaths from reported cases is over 600 as of date (January 2020).”
But more worrisome, was the security implications of the proliferation of okada in the state. The government got worried over the upsurge in the influx of riders flooding the state.
At one instance, 150 youths of varying ages were arrested when men of the state Task Force arrested the truck bringing them into the state from one of the Northern states. The security profile showed that there is a slight increase in the number of crime aided by Okada and Keke in the state. The government said security agents were worried that many resort to using it for quick getaway from crime scenes.
Omotoso listed the six local government areas and nine development area councils where commercial motorcycles and tricycles are banned as: Apapa LGA, Apapa Iganmu LCDA, Lagos Mainland LGA, Yaba LCDA, Surulere LGA, Itire-Ikate LCDA, Coker-Aguda LCDA, Ikeja LGA, Onigbongbo LCDA, Ojodu LCDA, Eti-Osa LGA, Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA, Iru-Victoria Island LCDA, Lagos Island LGA and Lagos Island East LCDA.
Apart from banning the operations of Okada and Keke in these local government areas and development area councils, the Lagos State government also restricted their movement on 10 major highways, such as Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos-Ibadan Expressway, Oworonshoki-Oshodi Expressway, Lagos-Ikorodu Expressway, Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway, Eti-Osa/Lekki-Epe Expressway, Lagos-Badagry Expressway, Funsho Williams Avenue, Agege Motor Road and Eti-Osa Lekki.
Also Okada and Keke were barred from plying 40 coastal road bridges, like Iyana-Ipaja Bridge, Agege; Dopemu Bridge, Agege; Airport/Ikeja Bridge; Agege Motor road/Oshodi Loop, Oshodi; Mushin/Isolo Link Bridge; Dorman Long Bridge; Ojuelegba Bridge; National Stadium Flyover; Apapa-Iganmu Bridge; Apapa-Ijora Link Bridge; Liverpool Bridge, Apapa; Mile 2 Bridge-Loop, Amuwo-Odofin; Okota (Cele)/Ijesha Link Bridge; Apakun/Apapa-Oshodi Bridge Network; Ikorodu Road/Anthony Cloverleaf Bridge; Trade Fair Flyover Bridge; Festac/Amuwo-Odofin Link Bridge; two flyover bridges along Alhaji Masha Road; Ojota Cloverleaf Bridge; Ogudu Bridge and Third Mainland Bridge.
Other bridges affected include: Maryland Flyover; Ikeja General Hospital Flyover Bridge; Kodeso Bridge, Oba Akran Bridge, Ikeja; Opebi Link Bridge; Sheraton-Opebi Bridge; Jibowu/Yaba Flyover Bridge; Carter Bridge, Lagos; Bariga-Ifako Bridge; Apapa-Oshodi Expressway/Alapere Bridge; Bariga/Oworonsoki Bridge; Apapa-Oshodi Expressway/Gbagada U-Turn; Apapa-Oshodi Expressway; Third Mainland/Oworonsoki Bridge; Eko Bridge; Apongbon Flyover Bridge; Cowry Bridge (Officers Mess); Mcwen Bridge (Bonny Camp); Marina/Ikoyi Bridge and Ikoyi/Obalende Bridge.
Though it was the smallest, Lagos is the most populated, with the state Bureau of Statistics putting the population at 26.6 million.
Experts said the government must provide means of transportation to support the 22 million people, who must move from one point to the other in the state daily.
Okada and Keke operators, were simply latching on the huge supply gap to meet the demand of commuters who go through nightmare on the roads.
Pioneer Dean of the School of Transportation Studies at the Lagos State University, Dr Tajudeen Bawa’Allah said the government should be commended for its bold attempt to enforce the law.
He said the former governor’s decision to relax the enforcement in the last four years gave a wrong signal that led to the proliferation of the Okada and Keke operation in the state.
Bawa’Allah, who described the two as a last mile or rural means of transportation, insisted that Okada and or Keke has no place or ought to have no place in the state’s transportation system and must not be encouraged.
He said what remained is for the government to increase its capacity and to bridge the gap that inadvertently allows for the unbridled activities of these modes of transportation. “What one would think is that the government would utilise this period when it was embarking on massive remediation of the roads to work on providing alternative means of transportation thereby ensuring a seamless transition from what the people are presently used to, to the more desirable means of transportation befitting of the state’s image as a mega city and an emerging smart city.
“However, now that the government has introduced the policy, Lagosians must rally round to ensure that it succeeds because it is in the overall interest of everyone,” the erudite transportation scholar said.
A resident, Michael Olatunji, said the government deserves kudos for deciding to ensure that everyone conforms with the law. “The government has done the right thing and should do everything possible to ensure that the ban or restriction subsists,” he said.
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According to him, no matter the gains Okada and Keke operators or patrons may outline, what is obvious is that this mode of transportation is rather too rudimentary and government must be encouraged to provide more comfortable alternative for the people.
He said Okada and Keke operators are reckless, undisciplined and suicidal on the roads. “They behave as if they are above the law, flouting traffic laws at will, or drive recklessly against traffic with reckless abandon. They would rather drive on the kerbs and any available space, drive against traffic or run people out of the road. These acts often lead to accidents, in most cases fatal.”
Olatunji, like other stakeholders, insists that more city buses should be injected into the road at subsidised rates. While the government must ensure strict compliance with the laws which forbids these operators to be on major roads in the listed local governments and other selected highways and bridges in the state.
Another resident, Abdulateef Komolafe said the state government must encourage other modes of transportation to relief the roads of the burden for which it quakes. He said the government must insist on the delivery of the Blue line by next year, while the other six lines which have been advertised for bids must take off in earnest.
To drive the greater Lagos and the smart city dream, the government must move away from a single mode and deploy alternatives, especially modes to which it has comparative advantage to serve the people.
According to Komolafe, this remains the only real way to drive Okada and Keke operators to the inner city roads and away from major roads in the state. This is the only way to ensuring that Okada and Keke have no place in the state’s transportation masterplan.
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