The Federal Government has revealed that it is yet to ban the operation of commercial motorcycles known as Okada.
The Minister of State for Transportation, Prince Ademola Adegoroye, said this on Thursday at the annual strategic stakeholders summit of the Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle & Motorcycle Owners, Repairs & Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) in Abuja.
According to Adegoroye, the Federal Executive Council (FEC) is yet to take any decision on the ban of Okada.l, assuring that there is nothing of such presently.
He added that ACOMORAN has a right and a duty to change the public transportation in the country.
“By the grace of God, I’ve been a member of the Federal Executive Council (FEC), the highest decision-making body in this country today and I’ve been there now since July. I was appointed June, I became member and I attended my first FEC on the 6th of July this year.
“Let me assure you and assure ACOMORAN that there is no decision to ban Okada.
“The Federal government under the leadership of our father and our leader, President Muhammadu Buhari, is also desirous of putting in place a mass transit system that will not fail like those of the past.
“It is true that several governments in the past have done one or two things to promote mass transit and ensure that our people are able to move from one place to the other seamlessly and easily.
“But nobody is a repository of knowledge, nobody has monopoly of wisdom. ACOMORAN also have a right and a duty to this country. So, we will put heads together.”
The Federal Government, while proffering solutions to ending banditry in the country, during a National Security Council meeting at the Presidential Villa, Abuja, said it was considering a nationwide ban on Okada operation, alleging that the mode of transportation was making crimes to escalate.