SIR: One thing that is currently giving the Lagos State government so much concern and headache is how to effectively enforce compliance with the ban on Okada by the operators. As a responsible and responsive government, the Lagos has tried to curtail the excesses of Okada operators in the state by regulating their areas of operation to guarantee the safety of both the riders and their passengers.
But rather than comply with the restrictions, many of the operators are in the habits of flouting the order and engaging the law enforcement agents in a running battle. Even the fact that the government has adopted the strategy of crushing seized motorbikes is not dissuading the riders from going against the order on restrictions.
If one views the issue critically, one would discover that the operators are not just being stubborn but rather driven by hunger and starvation and then decided to keep struggling for survival in the absence of a suitable replacement that can fetch instant money like their motorcycle transportation business. If that is the case, the government can introduce another method of legalising the business in the state.
To start with, the ban in some parts of Lagos has resulted in a situation where pedestrians are forced to trek long distances, sweating and wasting a lot of quality time on the road. This not need to be so if there is proper consideration for all since those who do not own cars need not be subjected to too much stress.
The government can allow the operation of Okada in some high brow places. Laws are made for man and not the other way round. All they will need to do is to register the riders properly and restrict them to their area of operation. For instance, places like Ikeja, Lagos Island, Surulere, and Lekki can have their own unique uniforms and registration centres and their commercial motorcycle operations will be restricted to those areas.
With such measure, the business will be properly regulated and many people will be employed legally. It will also go a long way to put a permanent stop to the usual friction between the state and the operators once and for all. Since all governments exist for the common good, sometimes, it is not necessary for any government to wield the big stick in dealing with the citizens. Rather, it will be of immense and mutual benefits to both sides if the Lagos government can look into this proposal with a view to giving it a benefit of the doubt
.Jide Oyewusi is coordinator of Ethics Watch International, Lagos.
