By Ogungbemi Adeyemi
The recent brouhaha occasioned by the decision of Lagos State Government to ban ‘Okada’ is needless. The citizens and the ‘Okada’ riders would have shown mutual understanding if the government had put the necessary palliative apparatchiks into place.
However, what seems incomprehensible are the reasons alluded to the ban aside from the security issue. That the youth are no longer interested in trades like tailoring, bricklaying, printing, painting and other vocations are not enough reasons for the ban.
The intention of the government is no doubt laced with some hidden agenda. This is because, in everything, interest matters most. What does the government put in place to elicit the interests of the people?
More so, the multiplicity effects of such action should have been considered by the government. Frankly speaking, any policy that leaves masses at the receiving end no matter how lofty, is not good enough to be carried out against the will of the people.
A quite number of commercial motorcyclists have been rendered jobless by the directive. More so, some Lagosians who were commuters before the ban have now become pedestrians. Considering the high standard of living in Lagos, the riding of Okada is a means of livelihood to many homes. I don’t think the government considers the commoners in the state before coming out with such a directive.
In every situation, there is a solution goes the popular saying. Interestingly, some tricyclists have converted their ‘Keke NAPEP’ into a four-wheeled car.
That’s the extent of the ingenuity of the people against the foolhardiness of a leader. I give that creativity to the uncommon resolve of the masses to make ends meet but could that be said of others who are not creative enough.
The defence put up by the government that the Lagos State Employment Trust Fund and the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation are working to cushion the effects of the ban to me is an afterthought.
No government policy that comes with the best intention is not Immutable. Brilliant policies can be halted if there is irreconcilable misconception. Reversing the ban does not make the Lagos State Government under Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu weak or indecisive.
It can only mean that the government backtrack to enlightening the citizens more on why such action is well-conceived. Also, the window of backing down will give room for a robust engagement among the important stakeholders to jaw jaw on the way to go.
Ogungbemi Adeyemi Orimisan, Writes from Ondo State.
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