As more and more commercial bike riders are being held in Lagos for flouting the state’s new law that they must not move on highways, some of them have accused Governor Raji Fashola of promulgating laws without ‘human face’..
There is this palpable fear in the minds of some of these commercial bike riders that the governor was stealthily attempting to banish Okada riders, as they are popularly known, from the state.
But these riders are not the only ones feeling the pinch of the new law. Pregnant women are also complaining, especially those that are not mobile.
The Lagos State police spokesman, Frank Mba, while reacting to the continual arrest of commercial bike riders on the highways, said that more and more would be arrested if they fail to comply with the law.
The ire of the commercial bike riders was coming, even as a few Lagosians, especially commercial bus drivers, kept on applauding the governor for his foresight in kicking the commercial bike riders off the highways.
Before the enactment of the law, the governor, at an event held in Ikeja, which also saw the Lagos State Commissioner of Police, Mr. Marvel Akpoyibo in attendance, tried to explain the need for coming up with such restrictions on motorbike riders. According to him, governance should be more of safety for the inhabitants of a state.
He said: “Many children have become orphans, many women are now widows and many men have become widowers, as a result of road traffic accidents arising from the use of Okada. We are not attempting to banish them from Lagos, but to restrict them from some areas within the state, because the money spent on buying artificial limbs is becoming too much. The rate motorbike accidents happen has become alarming.”
Explaining that he knew most people took up commercial bike riding as a means of survival and a way of keeping their families alive, Fashola urged them to comply with the rules and regulations of traffic in the state.
Akpoyibo presented a paper entitled: ‘The Lawlessness of Commercial Motorcycles on Lagos Roads, Particularly on the Highways.’
He noted in his presentation that majority of Lagosians have come to regard commercial motorcycles as a necessary evil. He called on the state government to intervene if Lagos State was to ever realise the vision of becoming a mega city, which has been its destination, in order to attract investors and tourists.
Mr. Tijani Pekins, the national chairman of motorcycle operators of Lagos State, in his welcome address, said security of lives and property were not an issue any government should toy with.
Indeed, Pekins said that he welcomed the development. But acting as a true leader, Pekins pleaded that his members should be allowed to continue to ply service lanes on the expressways, such as Western Avenues, Ikorodu, Mile 12, Badagry Express Road and Apapa-Oshodi expressway.
He added: “We beg the government to help create orderliness in our operations by ensuring that only recognised organisations or associations practice trade union activities among motorcycle riders in the State.”
The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr. Kayode Opeifa, said the resolve of the Lagos State Government on motorcycle operation in the state to maintain law and order, was that no person shall operate a motorcycle in the state without valid rider’s license.
His words: “No person shall operate a motorcycle without registration number; the two side mirrors of each motorcycle must be fixed on the motorbikes.
“ No motorcycle operator shall operate without wearing a standard helmet with full head protection. Also no motorcycle operator should carry more than one passenger at a time.
“Under aged children are banned from being carried on motorcycles. No motorcycle operator should operate beyond 8:00p.m in Victoria Island, Ikoyi and Ikeja and 1:00p.m in other areas of the state. Pregnant women, school children and women with children on their backs are totally banned from mounting Okada.”
The Sector Commander of Federal Road Safety Commission (FRSC) in Lagos, Mr. Jonas Agwu, urged motorbike riders to comply with the law and orders of the state.
He said: “Any violator will be dealt with seriously and their motorbikes seized!”
Speaking further with the Nigerian Compass, Agwu said: “We are trying to strengthen our working relationship to see that Lagos is safer. We are talking about safety here!
“An Okada rider should not carry more than one person. But most mothers would want to jump on a motorbike with a baby strapped to their backs, another on their lap. I tell you, I will give all the support to the Lagos State government!
“All the government wants to do is to keep mothers and their unborn babies alive. School children now have to wear crash helmets. Some mothers have argued with us that motorbike is the fastest means to take children to school, but our concern is how safe are the kids? Must we carry kids who are seven, eight and below such ages in an unsafe manner? I don’t think so!
“What the government is trying to do is Child Passenger Safety Campaign. We are looking at how kids and younger people are carried on bikes and vehicles. To me, I say kudos to Lagos State government! I once saw a woman with a baby who is about six months old on a motorbike. I stopped the lady and asked: ‘Madam, what’s the hurry that you have to carry this baby on this bike?
“I told her that the bike would just throw her off the road. We need to put a stop to all these things. We are talking about convenience and safety!”
Whatever Agwu may say, some commercial motorcyclists, who are beginning to feel the bite of the new law as it takes effect, apparently will not agree with him.
Okada Riders/Passengers Speak:
According to Ali Abdukareem, who, from Jigawa State, came to Lagos five years ago in search of greener pastures Okada work is a path to success.
He was already beginning to make it financially, when Fashola suddenly came up with his new law.
He said: “This new law is seriously affecting my Okada business, but I still have to thank Allah! This Okada business is not my only job. I work with a company in Ikeja, as a security guard. The major problem right now is riding home to Onigbongbo, Maryland, with my motorbike at night.
Police used to disturb me.
“Before Lagos State government came up with this law, I used to make N5000 per day, but now, I can’t even make N2000. I beg Fashola to learn to make laws that have the common people in mind. After all, we are all citizens of this country.”
Another rider, Pa Eke James revealed that he had been riding Okada for six years now.
James noted that when he started the business, Okada riders were very scarce on the roads.
“But now, Okada riders are everywhere! This is because there are no jobs to keep body and soul together. It’s because of this lack of job that many people took to riding Okada to make money.”
When the Nigerian Compass sought his view on whether what the state government was doing is good, he said: “My Bible made me to understand that you should not condemn authority. The only thing I want to beg the government is to provide people with better jobs before attempting to take away their sources of livelihood.”
Eme Sambo, who hail from Akwa Ibom State, said that when the law restricting them was promulgated, he had heard it from one of the radio stations.
He did not feel too happy with the new law because, “it affected me too much, especially in terms of money. Before the law was passed, I used to make between N2,500 to N3,000 on a daily basis but now, I barely make N1,500 to N1,000. The government should please help us to make a living within the state because we don’t have any other job to do for now.”
Austino Apeh, a native of Benue State, used to ply Maryland and Ikorodu routes and sometimes Allen Avenue, in Ikeja.
He used to smile home with N3000 everyday, but now, he hardly makes N1000.
Looking frustrated, he said: “Government has caged us. We don’t have access to any of the major roads as before. What most of us are making now, can hardly take us anywhere! Take me for instance, I buy fuel at Oando filling Station at Maryland; before I will ride over to the station, but now I can’t because I fear being arrested. To buy fuel, I have to cross over the highway with a gallon and come back to fill my tank.
“I’m appealing to the government to please allow us to start plying major roads again! The money we are making now is not enough to keep a family together. Better still, let government provide jobs for us.”
As commercial bike riders are crying, so also are pregnant women.
Odesanya Grace is also not happy with the law that prevents pregnant women from mounting motorbikes.
She said: “The law is not good! Come to think of it, how do they want us to move about, especially those of us that are not mobile?
“What about women whose husbands also do not have cars? If they wanted to pass such a law, they should have provided Marwa (tricycle) that will be shuttling the nooks and crannies of everywhere in Lagos! Since they started this law, Okada riders have not been carrying me in Ikeja. I have to walk from LASUTH to Ikeja.
“It is quite stressful! Even if it’s exercise, must it be everyday? Must we overstress ourselves everyday? Government should look for an alternative bike, like Marwa (tricycle).
“Although the way some Okada riders ride is not always safe, but we cannot do without them. There are some places where you cannot take buses to, which is why I say government should try and bend the law a bit and find another solution.”
But another pregnant woman, Ogunjobi Olusola, who gave the Lagos State government a pass mark for attempting to safe the lives of pregnant women in the state, also scolded this same government.
Olusola said: “I think the law is good for the safety of pregnant women. Let’s think about accident now; if a pregnant woman falls off an Okada, it may be fatal, compared to a woman who is not pregnant.
“But on the other hand, it is quite stressful for pregnant women. Some of us do not have cars to move about and cannot trek long distances. Government should try and consider us. They should have said Okada should not carry us to ride through the highway, instead of saying Okada people should not carry us at all!”
By Juliana Francis and Taiwo Jimoh
funny side:Even the Goats might eventually complain as this photo makes you wonder what cant you carry on twoo wheels ?
Watch Edward Inyang aka Blakky's Mr Okada on 9jamovies.com
click link http://bit.ly/9NrmRM
The wife of the President, Mrs. Patience Jonathan, was on Thursday in Lagos announced as one of the winners of the Union Bank Plc savings bonanza.