The Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC), has recommended a nationwide ban on commercial motorcycles popularly known as `Okada’ to reduce accidents on our roads.
The recommendation forms part of the October Road Traffic Crash (RTC) Report 2016, submitted by the Corps Marshal, Mr Boboye Oyeyemi, to the Secretary to the Government of the Federation (SGF).
The report made available to the News of Nigeria (NAN) quotes Oyeyemi as saying that commercial motorcyclist, remained a major cause of fatal road traffic accidents across the country, hence the need for state governments to consider banning them from operating. The RTC statistics for October 2016, shows that 230 cases or 18 percent of a total of 1,259 vehicles were involved in accidents within the month, the majority were commercial motorcycles.
According to the report, motorcycle accidents ranked third after cars which accounted for 457 cases or 36 percent, followed by minibuses with 243 or 19 percent of the total.
Oyeyemi said, “Following the outcome of the analysis, it could be concluded that motorcycle still constitutes serious menace on the nation’s highways.
“Accordingly, improved results could be achieved in the future, if more state governments could consider placing a ban on the use of a motorcycle for commercial purposes.
“In view of the above, the Secretary to the Government of the Federation should facilitate and encourage state governments to ban the use of motorcycle for commercial purposes.’’
NAN reports that commercial motorcycle is currently banned from major routes in some cities and towns including Abuja and state capitals across the country.
Besides their contributions to road accidents, they have also been linked to the operations of armed robbers, kidnappers and other criminals in several parts of the country.
In 2014, the National Council on Transport recommended their ban nationwide “to ensure adequate provision of safe and secure means of transportation in the country’’.
Reports say Anambra and Lagos states had for over two years now, banned the use of commercial motorcycle on highways in their territories.