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Author: Nwaorgu Faustinus
Posted to the web: 2/9/2011 6:39:36 AM

Nigeria : The Ban on Commercial Motorcyclists

 

By Nwaorgu Faustinus

          

Over the years, man has devised various means to provide forhimself and his immediate family. Such means include, hunting of game, farming,rearing of animals and so on. In our contemporary world, man has also evolvedsuch ways as, buying and selling, securing job in private and publicestablishments, making of shoes, handbags, balls, cloths as well as engaging insmall businesses like hairdressing and the use of motor cycle to conveypassengers to their destinations with a view to eke a living. The random ban onmotor cycle operation as a medium of commercial transportation in some statesis the crux of this piece.

 

 

One of the policies of some stategovernment that is generating enormous public concern and discourse inso many quarters is the ban on commercial motorcyclists, popularly known asOkada which had already taken effect in some states. Okada as it is called findsits way as a means of commercial transportation in Nigeriain the late 80â's to early 90â's. But before this period, it was used mainly as aprivate means of mobility to fetch water, firewood, palm fruits as well as torun other domestic errands and never a medium for commercial transportation asit is the case now.

 

 

The reasons adduced to have led to the proliferation ofmotor cycle operators or rather commercial motorcyclists in some states arepoverty and the ever alarming rate of unemployment in the country. A situationwhere one cannot get job in private or public organization but has some moneyto purchase motorcycle is what is driving most unemployed graduates and othersinto this business.

 

 

In a number State capitals is banned or about to be banned,there are well over half fifteen thousand of motor cycle operators. Imagine thenumber of people, family men and youths who depend on this medium of transportto feed themselves and their families that the state government will renderunemployed and take away food from their mouth. This is quite sad and unfortunate.One may be tempted to ask is this the way the state government wants to solveyouthâ's restiveness, crime and unemployment in the land? Your answer is as goodas mine.

 

 

The argument put forward for the ban has been thatcommercial motor cycle operators have sent so many people to their early graveas well as themselves through motor accident. Some victims of motor cyclist aredeformed. Furthermore, it has been posited that some of the criminal activities perpetrated in some States areusually executed with motorcycles. As valid as these arguments are, it shouldbe noted too, that drivers of both private and commercialvehicles do have accident with their cars, rob and contribute to thevehicular or rather traffic jam being experienced on daily basis on our roads.

 

Some state governments where this ban is yet to take effect,for example Uyo, should temper justice with mercy, bearing in mind the plightwhich motorcyclists and general public who patronize them will be subjected toas a result of the ban.

 

 

Commercial motorcycle as one of the easiest but not safestmode of transport that avails the public the opportunity to overcome the everincreasing and constant traffic jam experienced by road users. It is alsocheaper to board in terms of fare and carries its passenger to streets andareas which the operators of taxi and tricycles (KEKE NAPEP) cannot ply. I donot think the ban of motorcyclists will be the best thing that will happen tothe general public and civil servants who oftendepend on the services of motorcyclists to get to their offices on time duringholdup or traffic jam.

 

 

The state governments should note that as good as theirplans are to ban commercial motorcyclists and provide alternative means of transportation and reabsorb them, it cannotprovide taxi or tricycle to each and every motorcyclist. It should also knowthat it is going to make a great number of motorcycle operators’ jobless,thereby increasing the rate of unemployment which will in the short or long rungive birth to youthâ's restiveness and crime.

 

 

Finally, every state government where this ban is to beimplemented or being considered, should therefore be considerate, sensitive andreconsider its stance on the ban of commercial motorcyclist in the state, giventhe untold hardship commercial motorcyclists will face.

 

Nwaorgu Faustinus,writes from Igboetche, Port Harcourt, Rivers State.

Email: fausteness@yahoo.com. Tel: 08035601312