Margaret Ansei, a deputy spokesperson for the John Mahama 2020 campaign, has slammed critics against the legalization of commercial motorbike (okada) transport services, saying it is economically viable.
John Mahama, former president and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), told the people of Kpando in the Volta Region that he will legalize the Okada business if Ghanaians win the December 7, 2020 polls.
According to John Mahama, he has seen many of the young people who have finished school and can’t find a job ride motorcycles and transport people from place to place for a fee to cater for themselves.
“But in our law, it says Okada is illegal but Okada is a reality, it has come to stay, you can’t stop it, and, so, I’ve suggested and I say when we come into office, we will legalize Okada but we will regulate it,” Mr Mahama assured.
The okada business, that has created jobs for thousands of young men across the country particularly in Accra and Tamale, has been condemned by the ruling New Patriotic Party (NPP) communicators who argue that legalizing the business will increase road accidents among motorists.
However, Madam Ansei, who was reacting to her political opponents, on an Accra-based FM station, noted that the next NDC government has a fair appreciation of the sector and its contribution to the economy of the country than the NPP spokespersons thought.
Magoo, a former MCE for the Suhum Municipality, further stressed that okada business is an avenue to create decent jobs for young men who have no access to jobs under the Akufo-Addo government “which promised so much jobs but have delivered a handful.”
Explaining that an NDC government will initiate processes to amend the law that prohibits okada business when given the mandate, Madam Ansei revealed that there were plans to give the riders training on road safety to enable them adhere to safety precautions and avert accidents.
She also observed that although the activity is illegal, persons who are into okada businesses do not operate safely thereby causing the lives of people.
“Currently, they [riders] don’t obey all the traffic regulations in order to be safe, however, when we train them and regulate their businesses they will be able to do their job safely and earn decent income,” Magoo assured on Wednesday.
To her, the NPP spokespersons kicked against the policy because they had realized the thousands of okada riders had welcomed the juicy promise from the NDC leader and were mobilizing to get their colleagues to vote for John Mahama in the upcoming polls to put a stop to the harassment they are always faced with from Police officers on daily basis.
