The Federal Government on Thursday said it has not taken any decision to ban the operation of motorcycle riders known as Okada as a form of commercial transportation in the country.
The Minister of State for Transportation, Ademola Adegoroye, stated this while speaking in Abuja at the Annual Strategic Stakeholders Summit of the Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle & Motorcycle Owners, Repairs & Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN).
The remark followed earlier report of plans to ban the mode of commercial transportation and mining activities to curb arm supply to terrorists.
Recall that the Attorney General the Federation, AGF, and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami, had given the indication in July after the National Security Council presided over by President Muhammadu Buhari at the Presidential Villa, Abuja.
The AGF had said, “Placing a ban on the use of motorcycles and mining activities will cut the supply of logistics to the terrorists. This will be done in the national interest.”
But speaking in Abuja, Adegoroye, said the Federal Executive Council (FEC) has not taken any decision on the ban.
He said: “By the grace of God, I’ve been a member of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the highest decision-making body in this country today, and I’ve been there now since July. I was appointed in June, I became a member and I attended my first FEC on the 6th of July this year.
“Let me assure you and assure ACOMORAN that there is no decision to ban Okada.”
While congratulating the President of ACOMORAN, Prince Samsudeen Apelogun,
on the successful organization of the event, the Minister added: “There are a few issues I will like to make comments on.
“The Federal government under the leadership of our father and our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, is also desirous of putting in place a mass transit system that will not fail like those of the past.
“It is true that several governments in the past have done one or two things to promote mass transit and ensure that our people are able to move from one place to the other seamlessly and easily.
“But nobody is a repository of knowledge, nobody has a monopoly of wisdom. ACOMORAN also have a right and a duty to this country. So, we will put heads together.”
The Special guest of honour and former Minister of Transportation, Rt. Hon. Rotimi Amaechi said he declined efforts as a minister to place a ban on motorcycle riders even though he said that the land transportation system in the country is chaotic.
He described operators in the sector as an important part of the economic growth of any country, adding that when he was asked to ban Okada in the country, he had asked what the operatives would be doing.
He also said that some of the operators including the graduates among them were forced to the job as a result of the economic situation.
The former minister who told the Okada operators to behave well and regulate themselves said he acknowledged the fact that not all of the operators are criminals, though he said that some of them are criminals.
In his opening remarks, the National President of ACOMORAN, Prince Samsudeen Apelogun, said the summit was organized to have issues relating to the use of motorcycles and tricycles as means of public transportation in Nigeria, extensively discussed.
He said, “As an organization consisting of over 12 million members, ACOMORAN operations in Nigeria has become a major source of livelihood. Just as Lt. Frank Clark noted, “if you find a path with no obstacles, it probably doesn’t lead anywhere”.
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