The ban on the operation of commercial motorcycles popularly called Okada by the Niger State Government, has drawn the ire of Democratic Socialist Movement, DSM. A statement signed by DSM’s State Coordinator, Sadare Macaulay described the ban as a deliberate attack on the right of youths and masses to livelihood in Niger State. He alleged that the ban shows the insensitivity of the State  government to the plight of the masses.

“It is the economic downturn in Nigeria with its attendant decaying infrastructure and scarce employment opportunities that has given birth to commercial motorcyclists. Jobless youths began to use them to earn money by transporting passengers on narrow and mostly poor roads so far into cities and villages. These roads are not easily inaccessible to buses and cars because of their poor states.

The need for commercial motorcycle operation cannot be over emphasized.   It is used in cities by business men and women, civil servants and students to overcome traffic congestion in order to beat time and navigate roads that are inaccessible to cars and buses, particularly in the inner communities. It is a given fact that the emergence of okada riding became a source of livelihood for the ever increasing army of unemployed youths in the nation,” the group said..

DSM challenged the Niger state government to create thousands of jobs for Niger youths claiming that it will reduce the crime rate to the barest minimum. “People rendered jobless by policies of successive governments sought refuge in commercial motorcycling.

The ban of okada operation in Minna town by the Niger state government ostensibly because of insecurity is totally out of context and must be rejected and resisted by working masses. We are strongly of the opinion that it is unemployment and unorganized state of society caused by the same ruling elite that brought Niger state to this state.

If the reason is safety, we challenge the Niger state government to state openly what means of transportation do not have its shortcoming. People die unavoidably through accidents involving car, cab, tricycle, bus or even plane because of the chaotic state of transportation.
The ruling elite and governments at all levels can only resolve the crisis in the transportation sector by rebuilding infrastructure such as roads and not by fiat,” the group insisted.