Lagos State Government Issues Ultimatum To Okada Riders Again




Lagos State Government has given okada riders in the metropolis 21 days deadline to stop plying all the restricted routes.

During a meeting with the okada unions in Lagos at the State Secretariat, Alausa, Ikeja, the state government reiterated the need for the riders to cease from plying the stipulated roads.

The chairman of the meeting and Secretary to the State Government, SSG, Tunji Bello told newsmen that the government have given riders in the state 21- days deadline for the union to sensitise their members to desist from plying the stipulated routes before disciplinary actions would begin against offenders. According to him,
  
We just held a meeting with the okada unions on what should be done; we have held meeting with security agencies before now. Recently, we noticed resurgence of okada riders going back to their old ways. Some of them even drive one way on Apapa Expressway. When you go to Apapa, Lagos-Badagry Express, Gbagada, and others, you will see them. We have to call them to let them know”
The complain was that when the election was coming, there was relaxation and they went back. They though there had been relaxation. They asked us to give them sometimes, we felt there was need for two weeks of enlightenment, but they said it was too short. They asked for. Two months till August and we said no, we can only give three weeks maximum because we are not doing anything new, what we are doing is to reinforce the law, it is not that we are re-enacting the law,”


The SSG further reiterated that when the law was introduced in 2012, okada accidents was drastically reduced, many hospitals felt the relief Igbobi and LUTH no longer have much patronage.
We are not going back to that era again. Three weeks is not small, they have to go and enlightenment their members on the need to leave the road. We are not going back on enforcement, we need to save members of the public and the only way to doing that is to restrict them,” he added.
He said three weeks was enough time for the riders to adjust so the government would not have to spend much money on enforcement.
These are laws already in place and they have to obey, it is just that we have relaxed and members of the public have started feeling the pains. Go and see lots of violation between Okota and Mile 2 now, some of them have started colliding with cars, we cannot continue,” he said.
Permanent Secretary, Ministry of Transportation, Oluseyi Coker said the law restricting. Okada riders from major roads. Is still in force, as government has not suspended it.
three days ago, we gave you a list of most dangerous routes to ride okada in Lagos.

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