Hundreds of commercial motorcyclists (okada) took to the streets of Port Harcourt, Rivers State, yesterday, protesting government�s proposed ban of the cyclists on 35 major roads and some streets of the city and Obio/Akpor council of the state.
Consequently, scores of civil servants, traders and other workers, who were caught unawares, trekked long distances to work, following which some were drenched in the early morning rain in some parts of the city.
As part of the agitation, officials of the riders union mobilized their members, planting them at strategic places to stop all commercial cycles from plying streets and major roads, harassing commuters in the process.
Speaking to Vanguard, an official of the union, who did not want his name in print said, the reasons the government gave for banning the cyclists were not valid because �even in civilized societies there are still criminals and accident is a feature of human existence.
On his part, Secretary Commercial Motocycle Operators Mr. Godpower Ahazia said the government did not consult with the union �before going ahead to ban our members on the roads.
“We want the government to emulate how commercial cycling has been properly organised in Calabar, (Cross River State). We are ready to join hands with the government to organise the operation of our members here because we also generate revenue for the state.�
Ahazia was of the view that �the government is creating unnecessary unemployment and deliberately sending people to the labour market and also opening the way for more criminals to flood the state.”
The government announced a few weeks ago that it was constrained by the high rate of okada-related crimes and accidents in the state and environs, prompting the need to check the vices by fixing the time of their operations to between 7 a.m. and 6 p.m. as well as announce the restriction on certain roads.