Okada Ban: 25,000 Youths to Lose Jobs in Anambra - Union begs Obiano to rescind decision

The Chairman of Awka South Motorcycle Transport Union of Nigeria, Kingsley Nworah, on Wednesday said  over 10,000 youths would lose their jobs in Anambra State as a result of the recent proscription of commercial motorcycle operators in Awka.

It was also learnt that over 15,000 persons will also lose their jobs in Onitsha, over the ban.

The State government, had on Tuesday, issued a quit notice to commercial motorcyclists popularly known as Okada riders in the two major cities of the state.

The government in a press release by the Chief Press Secretary to the State government, Chief James Eze, said the ban will take effect from 1st July, saying that the long notice was to enable the operators to change to another trade or vacate the cities for good.

The statement this was part of the  many resolutions from the meeting of the State Executive Council, and was part of the overall strategy adopted by the government to deepen its crackdown on crime and restore sanity to Onitsha and Awka.

But speaking with newsmen in Awka, yesterday, the chairman of South Zonal leader, Motorcycle Transport Union of Nigeria, Kingsley Nworah, expressed displeasure over the government decision, saying they were taken unawares by the planned ban.

He said the association had over 10,000 members, in Awka, lamenting that most of them would be thrown out of business if the government implemented its decision.

According to him, many of them assumed the position of bread winners in their families and wondered what would become the fate of their wives and children if they were relieved of their jobs.

"We are not less than 10,000 members, just in Awka alone and our families depend on many of us for their upkeep.

"Many of us are into monthly
contributions. Some acquired their motorcycles through the  contributions, while some are waiting for their turns. Tell me what becomes their fate?" he decried.

Nworah who admitted that certain criminals activities were perpetrated with the assistance of motorcycles, however maintained that outright ban of commercial motorcycle operation was not the solution.

"Is it only okada that is used to commit crimes? Haven't they seen where cars, especially jeep were used in robbery operations? Will they now ban use of cars because of that?" he argued.

"Besides, we have always cautioned our members against getting involved in criminal activities, while we penalize the erring ones as a deterrent for others," he said.

He enumerated the benefits of the union to the state to include payment of revenue to the  government, saying that the union's monthly contributions to the Internally Generated Revenue (IGR) of the state is not less than a million, adding that they had never been indebted to that commitment.