The ban by the Lagos State government of okada and tricycles on 11 local government roads on Monday has laid to rest government’s position on the matter. ADEYINKA ADERIBIGBE writes on how the policy can be sustained.
From February 1, the enforcement of the ban on okada and ‘keke Marwa’ will be total, in line with the state’s Transport Sector Reform Law of 2018 (as amended).
Commissioner for Information and Strategy Gbenga Omotoso said the new policy would help address the chaos created by the operations of okada and tricycle riders in restricted areas. Government also banned okada and tricycles from 40 bridges and flyovers across the state.
The commissioner said the measures were taken in the overriding public interest and a response to “the scary figures” of fatal accidents recorded from operations of okada and tricycles in the state between 2016 and 2019.
Omotoso said lack of regard for the Lagos Traffic Laws by okada and tricycle riders had resulted in preventable loss of lives, adding that their impermissible movements on restricted highways also contributed to traffic jams.
He said: “After a robust assessment of the debate on what has been widely referred to as the motorcycle (okada) and tricycle (keke) menace, the Lagos State government and the State Security Council have decided that the security and safety of lives of Lagosians are paramount.
“The figures are scary. From 2016 to 2019, there were over 10,000 accidents recorded at the 21 General Hospitals alone. This number excludes unreported cases and those recorded by other hospitals. The total number of deaths from reported cases is over 6, 000 as at date.
“Also, the rate of crimes aided by okada and keke keeps rising. They are also used as getaway means by criminals.
Therefore, after consultations with stakeholders, the State Security Council, in compliance with the extant Transport Sector Reform Law 2018, has decided to commence enforcement of the law which bans the operation of okada and keke in six local government areas and nine local council development areas.”
Omotoso said the enforcement would be total, warning that the government would deal with violators in accordance with the laws. He added that there would be zero-tolerance for the movement of the banned vehicles on the listed highways and bridges.
According to Omotoso, operations of okada and Keke NAPEP have been banned in the following LGAs and LCDAs: Apapa LGA; Apapa/Iganmu LCDA; Lagos Mainland LGA; Yaba LCDA; Surulere LGA; Itire-Ikate LCDA and Coker-Aguda LCDA.
Others are Ikeja LGA; Onigbongbo LCDA; Ojodu LCDA; Eti-Osa LGA; Ikoyi-Obalende LCDA; Iru-Victoria Island LCDA; Lagos Island LGA and Lagos Island East LCDA.
The Okada and Keke NAPEP are restricted on highways and bridges. They include: Lagos-Ibadan Expressway; Apapa-Oshodi Expressway; Oworonshoki-Oshodi Expressway; Lagos-Ikorodu Expressway; Lagos-Abeokuta Expressway; Eti-Osa/Lekki-Epe Expressway; Lagos-Badagry Expressway and Funsho Williams Avenue.
Others are: Agege Motor Road and Eti-Osa Lekki Coastal Road.
Founding Dean of the Lagos State University School of Transportation (LASU-SOT) Dr Tajudeen Bawa’Allah described the directive as salutary. He commended the state government for its audacity to ban okada and tricycle operation in the outlined local governments.
Bawa’Allah, who said okada is an undesirable means of transportation within a megacity, said with the policy direction, government has shown its desire to sanitise transportation and push back okada and tricycles as a means of transportation in rural areas, or at best, the inner city roads.
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Bawa’Allah would, however, want the directive to be statewide once it recorded success in the 11 pilot LGAs.
“We can assume that the goal of the policy is that the remaining 46 local administrative areas of the state would be the next to be addressed as transportation experts and stakeholders would love to see that the policy be extended to all parts of the state.”
He said drawing up policies is part of the fundamental obligations of the government and commended the Sanwo-Olu administration for coming up with the policy to ban them on some selected local governments, roads and bridges.
He argued that as far back as 2000, the UN-Habitat classified only four local governments – Ikorodu, Badagry, Epe and Ibeju-Lekki as rural, while the remaining 16 out of the then 20 as metropolitan areas, therefore, presuming that such areas classified as rural would by now have grown more features to be seen as urban or semi-urban.
He said the prevalence of okada and tricycle was as a result of population explosion and the huge shortage of mass transit system in the state.
“As a result of the huge supply gap in transportation alternatives, the okada, which ought to be a temporary measure, seemed to attempt to take over the transportation system, egged on by deteriorating road network and others.
“The hold on full enforcement on okada was aimed at giving the government a breathing space to bring seven lines of the rail transit system along the main corridors. Thereafter okada could be pushed back to serve its purpose of rural transportation.”
He described the next four years as a game changer, urging the government to continue its aggressive advocacy against okada use until when alternatives would be provided and many would naturally change their preference for okada.
He envisaged that the ban on okada operation will be extended to other parts of the state as soon as all transportation alternatives are rolled out by the state government.
While Bawa’Allah remained optimistic that the end of okada might just be here, operators felt the steam may not be for long.
James Olalere, an okada operator, said government will soon forget all about the ban as we get close to the next general election.
“Over and over again, the government has realised that the voting power lies with these okada operators and they will soon come. That time, we too will be waiting for them.”
Could he be right?
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