Gengeun - FG set to ban Commercial Motorcycle [OKADA] Nationwide

The use of motorcycles as commercial means of transport in Nigeria, popularly known as ‘Okada’ or ‘Achaba’ may soon be banned throughout the country.

The proposal for the ban was made by the National Council on Transport after its annual conference in Enugu State and endorsed by the Minister of Transport, Sen. Idris Umar.



A statement from the Federal Ministry of Transport on Saturday evening stated that the ban of commercial motorcycle was one of the measures proposed towards adequate provision of safety and secure transportation in Nigeria.

It said the recommendation was contained in a statement of the week long meeting which had in attendance all the state commissioners of transport, permanent secretaries, directors and officials in the federal and state ministries of transport across the country.

The council advised all states in the federation to henceforth discourage the use of commercial motorcycles as a means of public transportation.

“All states and the Federal Capital Territory have therefore been advised to establish a public transport system that ensure strict regulation of the operation of public passenger transportation system through a well-articulated management system for enhanced safety, security, effective and efficient service delivery,” the statement said.

It added, “The states are to also develop master plans for the development of intelligent transport system to facilitate the development and management of their transport operations in line with emerging trends and global best practices.”

http://www.nigerianeye.com/2014/10/fg-to-ban-commercial-motorcycles.html

The ministry of transport has refuted claims in the media on the federal government’s plan to ban the use of commercial motorcycle nationwide.

In a statement made available to Leadership Friday yesterday, the ministry described the report as not only misleading, but inaccurate.

It was reported that the need to ban the use of motorcycles as commercial means of transport in Nigeria was one of the measures proposed by stakeholders at the National Council on Transport (NCT) that held in Enugu State and is geared towards adequate provision of safety and safe transportation in Nigeria.

However the statement from the ministry which was signed by the permanent secretary stated that stakeholders at the National Council on Transport (NCT) did not resolve that the federal government should ban the use of commercial motorcycles nationwide.

The statement reads in parts: “The attention of the Federal Ministry of Transport, Abuja has been drawn to misleading reports in the electronic and print media that the federal government planned banning commercial motorcycles as an outcome of the National Council on Transport meeting held in Enugu from October 20-24, 2014.

“Due to the misleading nature of the story, it has become necessary to state that the federal government has no plan whatsoever to ban and has not banned commercial motorcycles nationwide.

http://leadership.ng/business/388757/fg-intention-ban-commercial-motorcycle