By Emmanuel Adeleke
The fresh ban on operations of commercial motorcycles, popularly known as Okada, in six local governments and nine local council development areas of Lagos State will take effect Wednesday (today), June 1, 2022.
Recall that the state governor, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, had on May 18, 2022, announced the ban on okada at a meeting with the Commissioner of Police, Area Commanders and Divisional Police Officers at the State House in Alausa.
The governor had directed security operatives to enforce the proscription order across Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, and Apapa.
As the enforcement of the order commences, the Lagos Ferry Services said it had deployed more boats and increased daily operational trips at terminals and jetties located within the areas where activities of commercial motorcyclists have been banned.
The Head, Public Affairs, LAGFERRY, Akeem Odusina, disclosed this in a statement made available to newsmen on Tuesday.
The terminal and jetties, according to the statement, include the Badore terminal, Badore; Ipakodo terminal, Ikorodu; Five Cowries terminal, Ikoyi; CMS/Victoria Island terminal; Liverpool terminal, Apapa; and Ilaje Bariga terminal, Bariga.
Odusina noted that “travelling by water is 100 per cent traffic-free and there are first-mile and last-mile buses available at the terminal/jetty parks to take passengers to their final destination.”
While assuring the commuters of safe, fast, reliable and convenient experience on the waterways, he added that the terminals have secured ample car park parks.
Meanwhile, the Lagos State Government has said there is no cause for alarm over the planned enforcement of the Okada ban.
Commissioner for Information and Strategy, Gbenga Omotosho, in a statement, said measures have been put in place to forestall any disturbance, stressing that the ban will be enforced without any compromise.
“There is no need for any anxiety over the enforcement of the ban, which has been hailed by the majority of Lagosians as a reinforcement of the Lagos Traffic Law 2012 (amended in 2018),” the statement read in part.
