The Institute of Human Rights and Humanitarian Law in Port Harcourt has said that the recent ban of commercial motorcycles, Okada, in Port Harcourt, by the Rivers State Government, which comes into effect on 31st December 2008, amounts to “insensitivity of the government.”
According to the rights group in a statement signed by programme officer, documentation, Kelechi Aguocha, “The government has not considered the hardship and suffering the ban will cause to these Okada operators and their families who depend on them for survival.
“Also, no consideration has been given to residents of the state who have found succour in these Okada operators for easy transportation within Port Harcourt.
Considering the chaotic traffic situation in the city the long hours wasted on traffic hold-ups, the ban is untimely.
“The reasons that they constitute danger to the public due to frequent accident and the use of motorcycles in all sorts of criminal activities including armed robbery do not out-weight the benefits or help the residents of the state get from the services of these okada operators.”
“For instance, a short journey from Eleme junction to mile one park which in normal circumstances will not take more than fifteen minutes can take over one and half hour due to traffic hold-up.
“But riding on Okada will normally ease the stress of sitting for over one hour in a commercial bus or taxi. Again the number of unemployed youths that have been absorbed by this Okada business are too many to be ignored.
“The business has served for years now, as a source of self-employment to the teeming youths who have been neglected for years by the government.
That they contribute to the rising crime level in the state does not hold water either, since their ban will definitely increase criminal activities in the state.
“When this army of able-bodied youths who are currently using the business as a legitimate way of sustaining themselves and their families will be thrown into the already super saturated labour market, what will be the fate of residents as regards criminal activities.
“We, therefore call on the state government to reconsider its decision to ban okada in Port Harcourt until other alternative and efficient means of transportation are put in place and the roads decongested to ease movement in the city.
Arrangements should also be put in place on how to meaningfully engage those who use okada as a means of livelihood.”