By Dayo Omoogun
The restriction of commercial motorbikes and tricycles popularly known as “Okada” and “Keke Napep” respectively from plying their trade on major highways
and bridges spread over 6 (six) Local Government Areas (LGAs) and 9 (nine) Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) in the state takes effect from Saturday February 1, 2020 (today).
It will be recalled that a notice to this effect had been given by the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr. Gbenga Omotosho while speaking with journalists in Ikeja, Lagos about a week ago.
The first phase of the policy is to be enforced in the following Local Governments (LGs) and Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs): Apapa LG and Apapa Iganmu LCDA; Lagos Mainland LG and Yaba LCDA; Surulere LG, Itire-Ikate and Coker-Aguda LCDAs; Ikeja LG, Onigbongbo and Ojodu LCDAs; Eti-Osa LG, Ikoyi-Obalende and Iru/Victoria Island LCDAs; Lagos Island LG and Lagos Island East LCDA.
The highways are: Lagos- Ibadan, Apapa-Oshodi, Oworonshoki-Oshodi, Lagos –Ikorodu, Lagos-Abeokuta, Eti-Osa/ Lekki-Epe, Lagos-Badagry, Funso Williams Avenue, Agege Motor Road and Eti-Osa Coastal road.
The policy had been greeted with a mixture of anger, opposition and relief by various stakeholders but the state government seems fully decided to go on with it. There were protests by hundreds of the operators at the State Assembly complex on Friday.
The restriction extends to the better organized brands such as Opay, Gokada and the rest. However, dispatch riders, personal riders and speed bike riders are exempted in so far as they do not carry passengers.
The list of forty bridges that the “Okadas” and “Kekes” are restricted from include 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 Clover leaf bridge and Trade Fair flyover.
Others are Festac/Amuwo-Odofin link bridge, 2 Flyover Bridges along Alhaji Masha Road, Ojota Clover leaf bridge, Ogudu bridge, 3rd Mainland Bridge, Maryland flyover, Ikeja General Hospital flyover, Kodesoh bridge, Oba Akran, Ikeja, Opebi link bridge, Sheraton-Opebi bridge, Jibowu/Yaba flyover, Carter Bridge, Lagos and Bariga-Ifako bridge.
Also included were Apapa-Oshodi Expressway/Alapere bridge, Bariga/Oworonsoki bridge, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway/Gbagada U-Turn, Apapa-Oshodi Expressway, 3rd Mainland/Oworonsoki bridge, Eko Bridge, Apongbon flyover, Cowry bridge (Officers Mess), Mcwen bridge (Bonny Camp), Marina/Ikoyi bridge and Ikoyi/Obalende bridge.
While some people have criticized the policy saying that it will aggravate the already troubling unemployment situation thereby creating an enabling environment for increased crime as well as create a lot more stress for commuters who may be forced to trek longer distances to catch the buses, the Commissioner cited some the major issues against the modes of transportation as their low safety rate and their tendency to facilitate criminality.
According to him, the statistics of Okada related accidents is scary. “The figures are scary. From 2016 to 2019, there were over 10,000 accidents recorded at the General Hospitals alone. This number excludes unreported cases and those recorded by other hospitals. The total number of deaths from reported cases is over 600 as at date”. The Commissioner has been quite emphatic at various fora over the week that every other issue is secondary when lives are being daily lost in a gory manner which can be avoided.
“The Law is very clear. Motorcycles (Okada) and Tricycles (Keke) are banned on all highways, bridges and the listed roads,”
“The rate of crimes aided by Motorcycles (Okada) and Tricycles (Keke) keeps rising. Motorcycles (Okada) and Tricycles (Keke) are also used as getaway means by criminals”, he added.
To douse the concern about the mobility gaps likely to be triggered by the withdrawal of Okadas and Kekes, the government says that a lot is being done to cover the gaps- 600 buses are currently at the ports undergoing the process of clearing and will be put on the roads in early February, 11 ferries are to be launched soon, speedboats are being acquired and they expect that the railways will come up soon. Before now road restriction signs have been mounted on the relevant roads. Some observers have described this arrangement as “putting the cart before the horse” and a display of government’s insensitivity to the plight of the citizens. They argue that the alternatives should have been in place before embarking on the restriction.
On the issue of likelihood of heightened unemployment, the Commissioner decried a situation where most unemployed youths refuse to learn any vocation but would rather join the army of Okada riders causing Nigeria to depend on neighbouring countries for such artisans as tilers, masons, painters, etc.
Besides, he explained that the State’s Employment Trust Fund and the Ministry of Poverty alleviation are in place to assist those with credible ideas citing the example of his tailor who got a loan of N5m and now has about 15 staff.
The state government has repeatedly stated that the Okadas and Kekes do not fit into its Greater Lagos vision.