The Lagos State House of Assembly has said it may be forced to pass a new law to totally ban motorcycles and the activities of commercial motorcycle riders, popularly called okada, in the state.
This followed a violent protest by some aggrieved operators of commercial motorcycle on Monday which resulted in the destruction of some government buses.
The House, through Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforji’s amendment to a motion brought before it by a member, Moshood Oshun, calling the attention of his colleagues to the protest, also called on the executive arm of the state government to wield more powers in the implementation of the law.
Ikuforiji, while handing down the amendment at the floor of the House, threatened: “the House should condemn the vandalism…they come from other countries and states where they have been banned.
“We should call on the state governor to mobilise all the security agencies not only to ensure the road traffic law is fully implemented, but also to protect lives and properties.
“If they don’t desist from this criminal act, the House would fully ban okada riders in the state.”
Ikuforiji’s amendment was prompted by the refusal of the Deputy Chief Whip of the House, Rotimi Abiru, to adopt a motion earlier moved by Oshun.
Abiru argued that the okada riders were not given adequate time to understand the law before the implementation commenced.
He said though the executive arm had engaged in sensitisation of stakeholders, this was not enough to begin the implementation.
Shutting him down, the Speaker said his argument was not relevant and asked him to sit down.
Abiru however refused to move the adoption.
In their contribution earlier, some of the lawmakers said the various protests were being sponsored by political enemies as well as okada merchants.
Deputy Speaker Taiwo Kolawole said the riot on Monday was sponsored by those selling motorcycles and that the current implementation of the law was enough enlightenment.
“Many of the riders do not speak Yoruba and can’t even speak English,” he said.
For Sanai Agunbiade, the House must expect more of such violence in the coming days and therefore must call for protection of government properties.
“When we study the constraints of the law, if there are any, it could be reviewed, but the law must be allowed to operate, it cannot be wished away like that because it is a law of the state,” he added.
Before the motion was amended by the Speaker, Oshun had said while moving it: “it is a law of the state and should be obeyed, until the law is either repealed or reviewed it must be obeyed.”
Culled:PM News
This followed a violent protest by some aggrieved operators of commercial motorcycle on Monday which resulted in the destruction of some government buses.
The House, through Speaker Adeyemi Ikuforji’s amendment to a motion brought before it by a member, Moshood Oshun, calling the attention of his colleagues to the protest, also called on the executive arm of the state government to wield more powers in the implementation of the law.
Ikuforiji, while handing down the amendment at the floor of the House, threatened: “the House should condemn the vandalism…they come from other countries and states where they have been banned.
“We should call on the state governor to mobilise all the security agencies not only to ensure the road traffic law is fully implemented, but also to protect lives and properties.
“If they don’t desist from this criminal act, the House would fully ban okada riders in the state.”
Ikuforiji’s amendment was prompted by the refusal of the Deputy Chief Whip of the House, Rotimi Abiru, to adopt a motion earlier moved by Oshun.
Abiru argued that the okada riders were not given adequate time to understand the law before the implementation commenced.
He said though the executive arm had engaged in sensitisation of stakeholders, this was not enough to begin the implementation.
Shutting him down, the Speaker said his argument was not relevant and asked him to sit down.
Abiru however refused to move the adoption.
In their contribution earlier, some of the lawmakers said the various protests were being sponsored by political enemies as well as okada merchants.
Deputy Speaker Taiwo Kolawole said the riot on Monday was sponsored by those selling motorcycles and that the current implementation of the law was enough enlightenment.
“Many of the riders do not speak Yoruba and can’t even speak English,” he said.
For Sanai Agunbiade, the House must expect more of such violence in the coming days and therefore must call for protection of government properties.
“When we study the constraints of the law, if there are any, it could be reviewed, but the law must be allowed to operate, it cannot be wished away like that because it is a law of the state,” he added.
Before the motion was amended by the Speaker, Oshun had said while moving it: “it is a law of the state and should be obeyed, until the law is either repealed or reviewed it must be obeyed.”
Culled:PM News
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