In reaction to the latest ban of motorcycle (Okada) in some major parts of Lagos state and the call for ban in South-west states, the Oyo state chapter of Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle And Motorcycle Owners, Repairers and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) has pleaded with the Oyo state government not to ban riders, but regulate their activities.
The association which is the umbrella body of all commercial motorcycle and tricycle operators said that the government shouldn’t place a ban on it members, but regulate the activities of the union and give autonomy of existence to them adding that members rely on Okada business for survival.
Comrade Solomon Olugbode, the chairman of Oyo state ACOMORAN, while speaking on Monday during a press briefing at the association’s state secretariat in Ibadan explained that the assocation was aware of the motorcycle ban in some major part of the Lagos states, and also a possible influx of those riders into Oyo state.
He said that the society should understand that they are also part of the society who are ready to abide by the laws of the land.
His words: “The Okada business is for the poor man, we rely on this business for our day to day survival, only the poor people can be seen with the okada business, if the government bans us, our means of survival will be cut off.
“I want the public especially the elite to understand that we are product of the society, we are not useless, worthless or empty headed. The society needs to understand that commiting an atrocity depends on the person and not their profession, a bad person is a bad person irrespective of their occupation, gender, and ethnicity or religion.
While speaking on the steps that the assocation has taken to stop the influx of perpetrators of evil amidst riders.
He said: “The law doesn’t restrict anyone from moving from one place to another. Our law doesn’t allow us to hold anybody, we can only gather information and report to the police.
“The association is fully on ground and our members have been sensitized to report any strange and suspicious movement to the appropriate quarters.
“As law abiding people, we have also prepared our members for data collection of all riders for easy identification.”
The state chairman pleaded and urged the state government to help control the numbers of union by regulating them, and give autonomy to the exiting union.
He disclosed further: “As a means of permanent solution to the unruly behavior of some riders in the state, we appeal to the government to regulate the number of union controlling riders in the state and give autonomy of existence because the violence in commercial motorcycle and tricycle started in 2006 when the motorist union violently hijacked okada parks.”
Meanwhile, the union also called the attention of the State Security Services and the Commissioner of Police to a planned Okada day by a group of okada riders.
The chairman stated that the ACOMORAN, Oyo Chapter is not organising anything like that adding that participants are not members of the association but miscreant who has been extorting the ignorant riders and causing confusion for selfish gain.
