36 States May Ban Okada For Transportation

Posted by African Examiner Ayo Balogun, Featured, Latest Headlines, News Tuesday, November 26th, 2013

Ayo Balogun, Lagos

The 36 states of Nigeria may consider outright ban on commercial motorcyclists, popularly known as ‘Okada’ as means of transportations in their states.

This is one of the resolutions issued at the recently concluded National Council on Transportation (NCT) meeting held in Lagos, Nigeria.

In a communiqué issued at the end of the meeting, it was resolved that the States should discourage the use of commercial motorcycles as means of public transportation in their various states as okada transportation had been detrimental to the progress of the transportation industry.

The stakeholders also resolved that in order to boost the national economy in line with the Local Content Act, there should be the participation of indigenous Freight Forwarders in the Freight Forwarding components of government contracts and that in addition to the provision of road speed limit-signs on roads and to continually ensure Road Safety, there should be the use of speed-limiting devices on commercial passenger and goods only vehicles, while efforts should be geared towards the enactment of appropriate States and Federal Laws.

It further resolved that all States should intensify the enforcement of the existing laws on road worthiness of vehicles by ensuring that all essential checks were carried out before the issuance of Certificate of Road Worthiness, saying that there was need for the National Planning Commission (NPC) to harmonize efforts being made by the various levels of government on different modes of transportation for enhancement of an integrated transportation system.

“The Federal Government should facilitate building of weigh bridges on interstate corridors in order to safeguard the nation’s major highways. The Law that restricts States should be looked into. The State Governments are encouraged to establish functional Vehicle Inspection Offices to ensure proper road safety enforcement, drivers license processing and road worthiness testing,” the communiqué said.

The council resolved that all parties should ensure full implementation and respect for the tripartite arrangement in place for the Unified National Drivers License Scheme as it related to States and Federal Road Safety Corps (FRSC) such that the process starts and ends with the State accredited Agency.

It resolved that all States should buy into full automation of vehicle licensing procedure, and that all state governments should establish Motor Vehicle Administration Agencies that would collaborate with the FRSC with respect to issuance of vehicle licenses and other related functions.

In addition, the council resolved that government and other stakeholders should patronize Transport Training/Research Institutions for the enhancement of sustainable transportation studies in Nigeria and that the Infrastructure Bank should be commended for financing transportation and that various States should take the initiatives to develop mass transit in their States.