'Okada' Men hit town--300 riders petition Parliament, Front page
OPERATORS of commercial motorbikes, popularly known as Okada, yesterday besieged Parliament House to plead that the motor traffic laws that prohibit their trade be amended.
RON
Numbering more than 300, the Okada men rode their machines in an orderly manner from the General Post Office area in Accra through the Centre for National Culture to Parliament House, where they presented their case.
Under the umbrella of the Ghana Private Motorbike Operators Union, the operators accused the police of harassment, extortion and making their operations extremely difficult, even in the face of the safety and precautionary measures they (the operators) had in place.
Presenting the petition, which was jointly received by the Majority Leader, Mr Cletus Avoka, and the Deputy Minority leader, Mr Ambrose Dery, the President of the union, Mr Albert Acolatse, appealed to Parliament to “consider the fact that the motorbike service has created employment for the youth of this country and, to some extent, reduced the unemployment situation in the country”.
“In the light of the foregoing, we wish to request your outfit to plead on our behalf to be granted interim permission to operate till the law is amended,” he added.
Currently, Part IV, Section 128 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2009 prevents the use of motorcycles for commercial purposes.
The regulations also make the ownership and patronage of commercial motorcycles or tricycles for commercial purposes illegal, making those practices subject to convictions and fines.
Mr Dery commended the union for resorting to due process in presenting their grievances, saying, “We understand the fact that the issue has to do with jobs, but this has to be done within the law.”
“We, as your representatives, will do whatever we can to address the issue, but we will urge you to remain calm while your problem is channelled through the appropriate quarters,” he added.
Mr Avoka also commended the petitioners for being law-abiding and not taking the law into their own hands by way of the destruction of government property in the name of a demonstration.
“You have demonstrated very good qualities that all Ghanaians need to take note of,” he stated.
He, however, noted that although Okada services provided jobs, there was the need to balance that with other implications their operations would have on the larger society.
The Majority Leader said the issue would be put before the relevant agencies for the necessary interventions to be made.
Addressing a cheering crowd of Okada operators earlier, Mr Acolatse had said the motorbike was a more convenient, reliable and alternative way to facilitate movement, compared to commercial vehicles that created traffic jams in Accra and other cities in the country.
“The idea of using the Okada as a means of transport provides us with employment and prevents the youth from indulging in social vices. Our incomes from the service help in the upkeep of our families,” he said amidst a loud applause.
“If there is a law that encourages unemployment in the country, then the law is a bad one and needs to be repealed. Things are changing and we must also change,” he added.
Meanwhile, a study on the Okada operation in Ghana commissioned by the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) concluded, “The decision to strictly enforce the ban on the Okada service is essential, in view of the legal and safety issues associated with the practice.”
“However, on ethical grounds, it will be unjustifiable to force a ban on a practice that is responding to a vital transport need that cannot be provided for by current available transport services,” it continued.
The report further stated that before a strict ban was imposed on the Okada service, practical measures should be implemented to provide readily available public transport services, particularly in the rural areas where public transport services are either very limited or unavailable.
“The employment needs of Okada operators, as well as user patronage issues, also need to be catered for before enforcing a ban on the Okada service could be practicable/viable,” it advised.
Commercial motorbikes are predominant in many countries, including Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria, where the name Okada is said to have originated.
Besides being frowned upon in Ghana’s law books for safety reasons, some operators are accused of using the service to snatch bags, mobile phones and other valuables from pedestrians.
RON
Numbering more than 300, the Okada men rode their machines in an orderly manner from the General Post Office area in Accra through the Centre for National Culture to Parliament House, where they presented their case.
Under the umbrella of the Ghana Private Motorbike Operators Union, the operators accused the police of harassment, extortion and making their operations extremely difficult, even in the face of the safety and precautionary measures they (the operators) had in place.
Presenting the petition, which was jointly received by the Majority Leader, Mr Cletus Avoka, and the Deputy Minority leader, Mr Ambrose Dery, the President of the union, Mr Albert Acolatse, appealed to Parliament to “consider the fact that the motorbike service has created employment for the youth of this country and, to some extent, reduced the unemployment situation in the country”.
“In the light of the foregoing, we wish to request your outfit to plead on our behalf to be granted interim permission to operate till the law is amended,” he added.
Currently, Part IV, Section 128 of the Road Traffic Regulations, 2009 prevents the use of motorcycles for commercial purposes.
The regulations also make the ownership and patronage of commercial motorcycles or tricycles for commercial purposes illegal, making those practices subject to convictions and fines.
Mr Dery commended the union for resorting to due process in presenting their grievances, saying, “We understand the fact that the issue has to do with jobs, but this has to be done within the law.”
“We, as your representatives, will do whatever we can to address the issue, but we will urge you to remain calm while your problem is channelled through the appropriate quarters,” he added.
Mr Avoka also commended the petitioners for being law-abiding and not taking the law into their own hands by way of the destruction of government property in the name of a demonstration.
“You have demonstrated very good qualities that all Ghanaians need to take note of,” he stated.
He, however, noted that although Okada services provided jobs, there was the need to balance that with other implications their operations would have on the larger society.
The Majority Leader said the issue would be put before the relevant agencies for the necessary interventions to be made.
Addressing a cheering crowd of Okada operators earlier, Mr Acolatse had said the motorbike was a more convenient, reliable and alternative way to facilitate movement, compared to commercial vehicles that created traffic jams in Accra and other cities in the country.
“The idea of using the Okada as a means of transport provides us with employment and prevents the youth from indulging in social vices. Our incomes from the service help in the upkeep of our families,” he said amidst a loud applause.
“If there is a law that encourages unemployment in the country, then the law is a bad one and needs to be repealed. Things are changing and we must also change,” he added.
Meanwhile, a study on the Okada operation in Ghana commissioned by the National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) concluded, “The decision to strictly enforce the ban on the Okada service is essential, in view of the legal and safety issues associated with the practice.”
“However, on ethical grounds, it will be unjustifiable to force a ban on a practice that is responding to a vital transport need that cannot be provided for by current available transport services,” it continued.
The report further stated that before a strict ban was imposed on the Okada service, practical measures should be implemented to provide readily available public transport services, particularly in the rural areas where public transport services are either very limited or unavailable.
“The employment needs of Okada operators, as well as user patronage issues, also need to be catered for before enforcing a ban on the Okada service could be practicable/viable,” it advised.
Commercial motorbikes are predominant in many countries, including Togo, Benin, Burkina Faso, Mali and Nigeria, where the name Okada is said to have originated.
Besides being frowned upon in Ghana’s law books for safety reasons, some operators are accused of using the service to snatch bags, mobile phones and other valuables from pedestrians.
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