Lagos State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr Gbenga Omotoso and Chairman, Lagos State Task Force, Shola Jejeloye on Friday disclosed some very worrying facts and figures about the deadly nature of Lagos roads.
The Commissioner in particular said that a whopping 1,712 number of accidents occurred in the State in the first four months of the year (2022). Out this, 767 which were caused by commercial motor cycles popularly called Okada resulting in death.
Speaking further, he said that those involved in the Okada business around the state are 45% youths, aged between 30 and 39 years. Therefore, according to him: “taking Okada off the roads is helping our young ones to stay alive.”
This disclosures were made following the commencement of the implementation of the ban on these commercial motor cycles from plying their business in about Six local government areas in the State.
The implementation of the ban saw the confiscation of some these motorcycles, which is popularly known as Okada. Mr. Omotoso also further revealed that around 5,000 of these Okadas were confiscated from the riders and crushed within the 3 months of 2022.
NOTABLE QUOTES
Mr Gbenga Omotoso, the Commissioner said the following:
“In the first four months of this year, we had 1,712 accidents, 767 caused by okada, resulting into death, 45 per cent of these riders are youths between ages 30 and 39 years. So, taking okada off the roads is helping our young ones to stay alive. There are very fantastic people who are into entertainment, and technology, and no responsible government will watch their blood spilt.
“So, taking okada off our roads is not hurting our people. We are not leaving them to their own devices and so we have said anyone who is interested in doing a decent business can form a cooperative and join the First and Last Mile Bus Scheme. Some of them have come up to do that actually because they know okada is not in the transportation plan of Lagos State.
“They can present their proposals to the State Employment Trust Fund and get money to fund their businesses. We have vocational centres where they can learn a trade and start a new life. So anyone saying okada is the only way to earn a living in Lagos is not doing any good,” Omotoso stated.
While the Lagos State Task Force Chairman, Shola Jejeloye said:
“The enforcement didn’t just come into play on June 1, it came first in February and we have been on it since then. But people believe in violating the law, which is not good enough in a cosmopolitan city like Lagos.
“Since we began enforcement on June 1, there have been more than 85 per cent compliance because the number of okadas on the road has reduced greatly.
“However, I will urge the riders to continue to stay off because the enforcement will continue still. They might believe we will relax after the first week, but I am telling them now that there will be more intense enforcement starting next week. We will visit those areas we could not visit last week,” he said.
“There is no going back because it’s government policy and the government does not make a mockery of its decisions,” added the Chairman.
