Ban On Commercial Motorcycles

RESIDENTS OF MINNA METROPOLIS IN NIGER STATE ARE NOW COUNTING THEIR BLESSINGS FOLLOWING THE RECENT BAN ON THE USE OF MOTORCYCLES POPULARLY CALLED OKADA FOR COMMERCIAL TRANSPORTATION IN THE CITY. THEY SAY ROADS ARE NOW SAFER, WHILE INCIDENTS OF ROBBERIES USING OKADA HAVE REDUCED. AISHA WAKASO REPORTS

In the last seven years, motorcycles have become a means of livelihood for the numerous unemployed Nigerian youth who use them for commercial transportation. Initially, Nigerians in all the states of the federation were happy and enjoyed the advantages of being picked up by the bikes popularly known as Okada to their destinations and not having to walk to the bus stops to get cabs or buses. Some parents even engage them to take their children to schools. But just like everything that has advantages, there are disadvantages associated with using motorcycles for commercial transportation.

Many have started to understand that the disadvantages of commercial motorcycles far outweighed the advantages.
Recent statistics show that more than 95 per cent of accidents within major cities in the country, leading to deaths or permanent disabilities were caused by the Okada riders. Often times, the riders cause obstructions to motorists and are lawless, with most of them not having the slightest idea of traffic rules.

At a point, the Federal Capital Territory under the leadership of Malam Nasir el-Rufai banned the use of commercial motorcycles in Abuja. Though, there were a lot of criticisms, the FCT never relaxed that policy which has drastically reduced accidents in the city.

As soon as they were chased out of the FCT, the Okada riders moved into neighbouring states, especially Niger State. According to health workers in Minna, the influx of the commercial motorcyclists increased accident rate in the state with about 10 Okada-related accidents treated daily at various hospitals in the state. The injuries range from broken legs and arms to fractured skulls or even deaths.
Commercial motorcyclists have also been accused of using their bikes for crimes like kidnapping, rape and robberies. When the insecurity in Niger got to its peak, crimes such as bombing and shooting of policemen were perpetrated by criminals on motor cycles.

To protect the lives of its citizenry, Niger State Government recently procured tricycles and subsequently banned the use of Okada around Minna metropolis.  With the ban of Okada riders, residents of the city are now forced to walk to bus stops to board tricycles. Some say this has brought hardship on them while others complain that the tricycles in the town are not yet enough to meet the needs of the people. However, people are beginning to adjust to the situation. Also, the state’s government says it is aware of the initial challenges and that it has ordered for 1000 extra tricycles.

Though, it has been different strokes for different folks in Minna since the ban on Okada in the town, one thing is certain: the traffic situation has really been sanitized with drastic reduction of accident rate and less obstruction of traffic.

When THISDAY spoke with some people in Minna, many expressed hope that things will get better. For this group, safety is paramount. However, another group is of the strong believed that the policy was not meant to favour the masses. But Governor Muazu Babangida Aliyu said the policy had come to stay adding that the policy was for the good of the people.

Aliyu says he values the life of every Nigerian and will not continue to allow the type of accidents that kill and maim the people coupled with the insecurity and crimes that are perpetrated with motor bikes to continue.

A visit to the Minna General Hospital last week shows a reduction in the number of Okada accident victims. Some of the health workers at the hospital expressed relief with the reduction and are happy that they no longer see a large number of people with various serious degrees of wounds and death caused by motor bike accidents.

According to Hadiza, one of the nurses who works at the Accident and Emergency Ward of Minna General Hospital: “Work has reduced drastically in this unit. Before the ban on Okada, there is hardly a day that we don’t get at least ten to fifteen serious cases to treat. I am not talking about those with minor wounds but I mean serious cases.

“We are usually faced with so many cases to handle. These accidents happen when people are rushing to work in the morning or rushing to drop off school children or rushing back home. At such times, we are usually on stand by because those are the periods when so many accidents occur mainly because of the impatience of the Okada riders.

“But now, I tell you, we basically sit down here almost doing nothing because there are no longer such accident cases to handle. So, for me, though I equally do not have a car yet and am also facing some difficulty in getting to work, I am of the opinion that the ban is better compared to the type of injuries people sustain. Some even die as a result of the injuries they sustain.”

James Obi, another resident of Minna said: “it is not like am not having challenges with this Okada ban as my boys in the shop, my children and wife now face difficulties going to school, shop or church. But I tell you the truth, I no longer go out with the fear that a bike man will run into my car or one way or the other implicate me and change my plans for the day and divert me to the hospital.

“The unfortunate thing is that when an Okada rider hits you, you will be the one to take them to the hospital. If you are the one that hits them, it’s the same thing. So, I tell you, it is a great relief that they are off the road.”

However, for some people, it is one government policy that was made without the interest of the masses at heart. According to Musa Shuaibu, it is meant to make life more difficult for the people especially those who used it as their source of livelihood.

The Niger State Commissioner for Transport, Alhaji Garba Mohammed said:  “Government is satisfied that one of the reasons for the ban on commercial motorcycles, which is to reduce accident has been justified as officials of the Ministry of Health have confirmed zero accident rates in the state capital.” He added that there had been a drop in crime rate in the state.,