By Our Reporters
The ban/restrictions on commercial motorcycle operators (Okada) and their tricycle counterparts (Keke Marwa) from some routes and Bridges in Lagos, by the state government, recorded encouraging compliance on the first day of the exercise.
The state government had, last week, placed restriction order against the operators from major highways, Bridges and some Local Government Areas in the state. Among the councils affected, were, Ikeja, Apapa, Mainland, Lagos Island. The roads included in the ban are Oshodi-Apapa, Ikorodu, Lagos-Badagry highways. Apongbon, Amuwo-Odofin, Third Mainland Bridges, were also declared no-go areas for Okada and Keke riders.
The order was billed to commence on February 1. In obvious attempt to effect the order, Policemen and other traffic management agents, were on hand to ensure compliance.
At Alakija and FESTAC ends of the state, law enforcement agencies had their men stationed at strategic places to enforce the directive.In keeping to the order, the Riders, were equally off the road.
Our Reporter gathered that in a bid to avoid outright ban in their operations, the various units of the Riders’ Associations, have advised their members to lie low or change routes, pending the time the import of the government’s action will be fully understood. An Okada Rider, Abdul Mukaila, who spoke to our Reporter, put their dilemma thus, “we just de wait them
They tell us for our Union to stay at home or change route till the time government go tell us what to do”. At Ojuelegba, Yaba axis of the state, the compliance was over 90 percent, TheNiche learnt. While some residents argue that the ban/restrictions would restore sanity on the roads, some disagree, adding that it would add to the already high cost of transportation in the state
