...Jockeys use horses for brisk business
...Sanwo-Olu’s 2019 promise to regulate not ban resurfaces
...Ban causes spike in transportation fares
Barely 24 hours after the Lagos State Government praised
motorcycle and tricycle operators for complying with the restriction from six
local government areas, 10 highways and 40 bridges in the state, a violent
clash between the police and the operators reportedly claimed three lives.
To protest the ban and end to their means of livelihood,
motorcycle operators popularly known as Okada took to the streets of Ijora
Olopa and went all the way up to Costain.
The hitherto peaceful protest soon turned violent as they
clashed with police officers who were deployed to enforce the ban.
In the face-off, there was exchange of gunshots as bonfires
were set up in the middle of the road, thus deterring motorists who were forced
to turn back to look for alternative routes in and out of Apapa as the road was
fully blocked.
Meanwhile, thousands of commuters yesterday stranded at
different parts across Lagos as the effect of the ban took its toll on them.
From suburbs like Okota, Isolo, Ikotun, Egbeda, Idimu, Iyana
Ipaja, Jakande, Ago to bustling areas like Apapa, Yaba, Oshodi, Ikeja,
Surulere, Maryland, Ojota, Mile2 and 12, Ketu, Cele, Festac Town, Satellite,
Okokomaiko, Ijora, Orile and Mushin, the toll was harsh. Even parts of the
island was not left out.
Checks also revealed that the rippling effect was felt by
all, from the large number of stranded passengers at bus stops, to a sharp
increase in transport fares across the state.
In some areas, transport fares soared to about 100 per cent,
and save for the Bus Rapid Transit (BRT), which was a sort of reprieve, as they
maintained their fares, more commuters would have been stranded.
In places where a usual ride would have cost N100, the
conductors ended up charging between N200 and N300.
Meanwhile, in different parts of the state, school children
were seen hopping on open trucks, begging for lifts from strangers, while some
were forced to trek.
Also, some jockeys took advantage of the situation as they
made brisk business in ferrying pedestrians to their destinations for a fee,
which was quite on the high side.
For the jockeys in Egbeda, they charged passengers as much
as N3200 for a trip to Ikeja for two persons.
Reactions
Reacting to the ban and its attendant consequences, many
Nigerians flayed the move, noting that the responsibility of government is not
to worsen the burden of its citizens but to ameliorate it.
Dr. Joe Abbah said: “With the Lagos #OkadaBan, we appear, as
usual, to have gone for the option that involved the least thought and planning
from a public policy perspective. If you are introducing 65 buses and 14 new
ferries from tomorrow, introduce them first and watch it work before announcing
a ban.”
Adunni Achebe said: “On a serious note though, maybe this
trekking will make people understand that how you vote certainly affects how
you live.
There's a state government and a state house of assembly and
these pple won't lose sleep even if you trek from Ajah to Oshodi. Consider this
during the next election cycle.”
Ogbeni Oloyede said: “The commercial bus charges B500 from
Oshodi to Ajah, if the government is charging same amount, those guys will have
no choice than to increase their price cos your buses won’t be available at all
time, this is making us going through hell, this is not what we voted for.”
Dr Ogi Pamilerin said: “The main cause of traffic in Lagos
is Danfo but your government thinks banning Okada and Keke Napep that is saving
lives is the solution. Someone who wakes up by 5am to beat traffic will have to
start waking up by 3. Your government lacks human emotional intelligence.”
Palliative Measures
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Governor, Mr. Babajide Sanwo-Olu
had directed the management of Lagos Bus Services Limited (LBSL) to deploy a
fleet of 65 buses along major routes from yesterday to provide succour and
ameliorate the hardship commuters might face.
Despite the directive, its impact was barely felt in the new
routes where the LBSL extended its services to- Ikeja to Ogba; Berger to Ogba;
Ikeja to CMS; Oshodi to Ajah; Obalende to Ajah; CMS to Ajah and Inner Marina to
Ajah.
According to the MD/CEO Lagos Bus Services Limited, Mr.
Idowu Oguntona, extending the services of the company to these locations will
help reduce the vacuum created by the restriction order.
While maintaining that commuters will enjoy the pleasure and
comfort of riding in the new buses along these routes, Oguntona disclosed that
more buses will be deployed by the company in no distant time.
Old Video Resurfaces
Meanwhile, as the internet never truly forgets, a video
where the governor had promised to regulate the industry and not ban okada,
also resurfaced yesterday.
Sanwo-Olu had in 2019, on October 1 to be precise, pledged
in his speech on The Platform, an annual leadership symposium organised by the
Covenant Christian Centre, said his administration would harmonise okada
operations and develop a regulation system for better accountability.
He said: “To also solve the traffic issue of Lagos is also
to talk about the okada issue; okada is everywhere, anywhere you see. Part of
the things that we are going to be doing is not to leave anybody behind.
“You see some okada riders that are branded, that use smart
ways to pay when you finish the journey. We are trying to harmonise all of them
and be able to come up with a regulation system where we can account for every
okada rider.
“We will know who they are, we can manage them. In fact, the
solutions that some of them are bringing, they can disenable those okadas
remotely. That is where we are planning to get to but it is also something that
we need to think through very well and be sure that nobody is disenfranchised.
“As much as possible, give everyone opportunity to play and
play well. I’m hoping that once we do all of this, the traffic will be reduced
significantly.”
Specialised Motorbike Union Reacts
The union of Specialised Motorbikes Operators has also
criticised the recent ban. According to Co-founder and CEO of Metro Africa
Xpress (Max.ng) and Gokada, Mr Adetayo Bamiduro, the government should
regularise the sector as against outright ban.
He noted that since
inception, the companies have complied with the Lagos State rules guiding
commercial motorbike operations in the state.
He said, “In communicating the decision to restrict the
operations of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in the affected areas, the
government spokesperson cited 'Safety and Security concerns',as the primary
reasons for the decision.
Although the law restricts motorcycles from operating on
major highways in the state, it however makes an exception for motorcycles with
engine capacity above 200cc, which is what the specialised motorbikes use, yet
were still hit with a ban.
Supporting Bamiduro’s statement, the Pilot Operations
Manager at Gokada, Victor Daminabo noted that they are also fully compliant
with the provisions of the law prohibiting the operations of motorcycles
without rider and passenger helmets amongst others.
According to him, “we are also fully compliant with the
requirements of the law prohibiting the operations of motorcycles without rider
and passenger helmets, carrying more than one passenger, comprehensive insurance
etc.
“In addition to being fully compliant with the relevant
laws, we have also in the course of our constant engagements with the
government, demonstrated that we have the infrastructure and investments to
address all safety and security concerns regarding the operations of
motorcycles in the state.“
They added that the ban will lead to over 3000 job losses
for drivers, and full-time staff of the companies and also affect the massive
investment already made by both local and foreign investors in the industry.
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