By Rotimi Ojomoyela

Ado-Ekiti—Governor Ayodele Fayose of Ekiti State has described as insensitive and wicked, plan by the federal government to ban commercial motorcycle, popularly known as Okada in the country.

Fayose, who disagreed with the move said: “In Ekiti State, we won’t ban Okada because it is a source of livelihood for a lot of families. Why would anyone even contemplate such when government did not create alternative employment?.

“With this economic recession that is biting so hard, it is sheer heartlessness for the federal government to even think of sending Okada riders out of business instead of putting machineries in motion to check their excesses.”

Ayodele Fayose

According to a statement issued yesterday, by the governor’s Special Assistant on Public Communications and New Media, Lere Olayinka, the governor, who was addressing Okada riders that accosted him in Ikere Ekiti on his way from Abuja at the weekend, said; “ban on Okada will worsen the country’s security situation because it will remove foods from the table of so many people.”

There were reports last month that Federal Government may approve the recommendation of the Federal Road Safety Corps, FRSC, that commercial motorcycles be banned in order to reduce road accidents in the country

The recommendation forms part of the October Road Traffic Crash Report 2016, submitted by the Corps Marshal, Mr. Boboye Oyeyemi, to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation.

But Fayose who is also the Chairman of the Peoples Democratic Party (PDP) Governors’ Forum, said instead of outright ban, especially now that there is no provision of alternative employment for millions that would be thrown into the labour market, efforts should be put in place to check their excesses.

He promised Okada riders in Ekiti State his continued support, saying; “The federal government has no power to ban Okada in my state and under my watch, no one will prevent Okada riders from operating as long as they do not go against the laws.”

Governor Fayose said; “Methinks the federal government should be concerned with the rate of unemployment in the country and the deplorable state of our roads, especially federal roads, instead of seeking to deprive Nigerians, who have taken to riding Okada to save themselves and their families from dying of hunger.”