Lagos State Government had extended the ban of Okada to four more local government areas and six Local Council Development Areas to curtail the unruly and sometimes criminal activities of the riders.
Governor Sanwo-Olu directed immediate compliance and enforcement of the ban which starts from September 1st in these local council.
Meanwhile,Dr Frederick Oladeinde, Lagos State Commissioner for Transportation in a statement e-signed and issued on Thursday,18-08-2022.
Here is the Commissioner’s speech:
SPEECH OF THE HONOURABLE
COMMISSIONER OF TRANSPORTATION: OKADA BAN WITHIN SIX (6) NEW LOCAL GOVERNMENT AREAS INCLUDING THEIR RESPECTIVE LOCAL COUNCIL DEVELOPMENT AREAS IN THE STATE.
I am delighted to welcome you all to this press briefing as we are about to take another bold step as a responsive Government aimed at the continued promotion of Safety and Security of lives and properties in our Dear State.
Lagosians may recall that in the last two months, the State Government in partnership with relevant stakeholders’ began the implementation and enforcement of Mr. Governors pronouncement on the total ban of motorcycle operations in six (6) Local Governments (LGs) and the respective nine (9) Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) under them including all major bridges and highways of the State which had since taken effect from 1st June, 2022.
Having critically reviewed the achievements and challenges encountered so far, the State Government identified the need to engage the general public in a Stakeholders Forum tagged “Okada Ban: What Next” which was held on Tuesday, 16th August, 2022. During the Stakeholders’ forum, issues relating to the ban and of course the impact of Okada operation on the lingering security challenges bedevilling the Nation at large were discussed.
Consequently, the major resolution reached at the Stakeholders forum by the public was a State-wide ban on Okada Operations in the State. So, the Ministry in conjunction with the inter-ministerial committee on Okada having critically accessed these resolutions and the challenges of Okada Operations on the Security Architecture of the State; recommended to Mr. Governor not to go back on the already laid down phase ban in a bid to sustain the gains.
The State Government has received empirical reports from the Ministry of Health, Lagos State Health Service Commission and the Lagos State Police Command on the accident and crime rates in order to analyse the impact of the ban on Safety and Security before and during the ban within the affected areas of the State. The following are the available data and the sources:
Data Analysis: the following analysis were deduced from the above table:Report from LASTMA confirms that accident rate as it relates to Commercial motorcycles has reduce by 4%; (i.e 68 accident cases was recorded in June, 2022 as against 74 recorded in May);Report for Ministry of Health confirms that accident rate as it relates to Commercial motorcycles has reduced 63.5% in all general hospital across the State (i.e 176 accident cases were reported in June as against 277 recorded cases in May).It is also important to mention that the restricted corridors (i.e Apapa, Lagos Island, Yaba, Surulere, Ikeja) recorded a significantly low accident reports which indicates that the restriction is achieving its objectives (i.e accident record in June is 18 as against 91 recorded in May);Report from Commissioner of Police confirms as follows:Crime Ratei. 14 crime cases were recorded in June as against 20 in May;ii. 2 crime cases as at 15th July as against 14 in JuneAccident Ratei. 23 accident cases were recorded in June as against 37;ii. 2 cases of accident as at 15th July as against 23 in June.
The data shows that the operation has significant gains and compliance rate in the concerned areas as available records’ shows that crime and accident rate has reduce astronomically by 86% and 63.7% respectively within the period under review and a total of 7,500 motorcycles have been impounded and crushed accordingly, hence, the need to sustain this achievement.
Based on the apparent positive impact of the ban and the resolution of the Stakeholders’ forum, Mr. Governor has approved the ban of Okada in another Four(4) LGs and their respective Five (5) LCDAs for the 2nd Phase of the total ban, in addition to the on-going ban in the Six (6) LGs and their respective LCDAs.
For the purpose of emphasis, the State Government is now banning Okada Operations in the following Local Governments and Local Council Development Areas in a bid to further promote the Safety and Security of lives and properties in the State:i. Kosofe Local Government;a. Ikosi-Isherri LCDAb. Agboyi-Ketu LCDAii. Oshodi-Isolo Local Government;Isolo LCDAEgigbo LCDAiii. Shomolu Local Government;Bariga LCDA.iv. Mushin Local GovernmentOdi-Olowo LCDA
This decision is to further consolidate on the achievements made so far with particular reference to decline in Accident and Crime rate as well as to continue to bring sanity to our communities within the State.
While the ban is in force, the public are advised to resort to alternative and sustainable means of transportation provided in the State such as the First and Last Mile Transport Scheme, the BRT Scheme, the Lagos e-hailing taxi Scheme (Lagride) and other acceptable mode of transportation to go about their daily activities.
Furthermore, the State Government’s existing interventions aimed at empowering her citizens should equally be accessed as an alternative means of livelihood for the affected riders. These interventions are coordinated by the following MDAs:Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA);(vocational training)Ministry of Wealth Creations and Employment;(internship programmes)Office of Civic Engagement;Office of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs);Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF) (Loan for Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs, Lagos Economic Acceleration Programme “LEAP”);Ministry of Agriculture (Agric YES);Ministry of Education (CodeLagos Scheme) and many others.
In view of the foregoing, the State Government has directed the Nigeria Police Force, and the Lagos Command with all relevant stakeholders’ (i.e Army, Navy, Air force, other Security and Law enforcement formations within the State) to be complimented by the “Anti-Okada Squad” that will be deployed to these new locations in a bid to stimulate seamless implementation and enforcement of the phase 2 ban in the State.
It is important to inform Lagosians that our help lines are still very active as your feedbacks will further enhance our strategies; as the protection of lives and properties is a collective responsibility of all. For complaint and feedback kindly call any of the following lines: i. 09038208154 ii. 09169655855 iii. 09034810153iv. 09033090826
It is important to reiterate the State Government commitment to the Safety and Security of lives and properties in the State, hence, motorcycle impounded will be crushed and the process will be made public. The individual (both riders and passengers alike) arrested will be made to face the full wrath of the law in line with the provision of Section 46, sub-section 1, 2 & 3 of the Transport Sector Reform Law (TSRL), 2018.Once again, the State Government in addition to the existing ban is now directing a total ban on Okada activities in Four (4) new LGs and their LCDAs, effective from 1st September, 2022.
Finally, we implore the general public to join hands together with the State Government by complying with the decision of the Government geared towards combating the monster that Okada operation has created, so that sanity can return to our State.
Thank you all for taking this message to our people, thank you all for your regular cooperation, God bless you All.Igbega Ipinle Eko….. Ajumo se ni !!!
These are the additional councils where total Okada ban is pronounced:
Kosofe Local Government
Ikosi-Isherri LCDA
Agboyi-Ketu LCDA
Oshodi-Isolo Local Government
Isolo LCDA
Shomolu Local Government
Bariga LCDA.
Mushin Local Government
Odi-Olowo LCDA
