The state government had on
Sunday said 200 okada accidents were recorded in the state on monthly basis,
with 150 people killed in tricycles accidents in the last four years.
Despite reeling out
frightening statistics on okada and tricycles menace, the Lagos State
Government on Monday said it will not be taking definitive action against
illegal operations of commercial motorcycles and tricycles on restricted routes
across the State.
However, after a four-hour
Security Council meeting chaired by Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu and attended by
all commanders of security agencies in the State, on Monday, the government
backed down on definite action on okada and tricycles.
Briefing State House
reporters after the meeting, Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Mr.
Gbenga Omotoso, said the Government’s delayed action against restriction of
motorcycles and tricycles was informed by the need to achieve a generally
acceptable solution to the menace.
Omotoso disclosed that
relevant parties and stakeholders had reached out to the Government with
suggestions and representation that could be adopted to proffer a win-win
solution on the matter.
The Security Council, the
Commissioner said, is currently considering the suggestions and recommendations
submitted to the Government before coming up with definite plans on the Okada
menace.
He said: “We have just
concluded our routine security meeting, during which issue of Okada and
tricycles was discussed exhaustively. For now, no major decision will be taken
on the matter. There are several factors for this development, but the main
reason is to reckon with various opinions expressed by stakeholders.
“So many people have made
representations to the Government concerning commercial motorcycles and
tricycles, including human rights groups, unionists and traders. They came up
with many reasonable observations; all their views have been collated and are
being considered.
“We feel it would not be
good enough for the Government to make final decision on the matter without
considering the opinions of the stakeholders. That would be against the spirit
of democracy for which the Sanwo-Olu administration stands.”
Omotoso said security of
lives of Lagos residents and safety of visitors remained paramount to the
Government, stressing that the Sanwo-Olu administration would not compromise in
this regard.
According to the
Commissioner, the ongoing enforcement of the extant Traffic Laws and Okada
restriction will go on, pending the final decisions of the Security Council. He
added that advocacy was currently on-going to sensitise riders of Okada and
tricycles on the need to obey traffic laws.
At the briefing, include
the Secretary to the State Government, Mrs. Folashade Jaji, Commissioner for
Justice and Attorney General, Mr. Moyo Onigbanjo, and Commissioner for
Transport, Dr. Fredric Oladehinde.
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