Residents grumble one year after Awka, Onitsha okada ban

One year after Anambra state government banned the use of motorcycles in its two major cities with a promise to replace them with better alternatives, the promise is yet to be fulfilled; OKECHUKWU ONUEGBU writes.

On July 1, 2018, when Anambra state government placed a ban on commercial motorcycles popularly known as okada in Awka and Onitsha towns, there are mixed feelings and concerns among the populace.

Some were unhappy because their major source of movement was threatened as it is the major means of transportation capable of convening passengers to their respective door posts in the fast growing capital city and commercial nerve centre of the state.

Poor road networks coupled with illicit alighting of passengers at bus stops make it almost impossible for commercial bus drivers to operate.

Governor Willie Obiano, had, in May, 2018 through a statement signed by Mr James Eze, his chief press secretary, announced that the decision to ban okada was a resolution by the State Executive Council.

It read in part, “The ultimatum given to okada operators in the two cities is part of the overall strategy adopted by the state government to deepen its crackdown on crimes and restore sanity to Onitsha, the commercial nerve-centre and Awka, the capital city.”

Residents kick

Residents and business executives, including dealers of motorcycle spare parts in Nnewi, kicked against the policy. Nnewi, for instance, is the industrial hub of the state and the entire South-east geopolitical zone. The president of Fairly Used Motorcycle Dealers Association in Nnewi, Mr Eloka Ubajiekwu, in a press briefing stated that, “There would be serious hunger, diseases and even death of many people over the ban of okada at this time of harsh economy. The governor should device means to fight crimes emanating from okada riders in Onitsha and Awka instead of banning their operation completely.”

Ubajiekwu, while acknowledging that some criminals used motorcycle operators to rob people at gunpoint, added that the solution is not a total ban, as according to him, “Criminals also use sport utility vehicles, taxi cabs and buses to rob people at gunpoint but nobody has ever thought of banning such vehicles. A lot of people are fending for themselves and their families through okada business. An okada rider is taking care of a minimum of five to seven persons daily, feeding them and paying children school fees.”

He said, “Motorcycle traders are earning their living from the business; likewise, mechanics, vulcanisers and allied workers. By banning okada transport, they are all in a big trouble because they have lost their jobs. Onitsha and Awka and other places in Anambra are quite different from Owerri, Benin and Enugu where such bans had been effected because the people of those states are not major dealers in motorcycles.

“We can comfortably say that there are no well-known motorcycle dealers in those places, but here in Nnewi, we are too many to mention and even though the ban was not extended to Nnewi, it would affect us badly because Onitsha and Awka are our major bases.”

Action justifiable?

But Governor Obiano, while addressing the 2018 annual seminar of Anambra State Traditional Rulers Council in Awka, maintained his stand on the ban adding, “There is no going back on the directive. The ban will be for commercial motorcyclists operating in Onitsha and Awka and their neighbouring towns. Government is making alternative arrangements to provide shuttle buses to cover as many routes as possible. Transporters should take this opportunity to invest in shuttles and tricycles to complement government’s efforts.

“The state government has designed a hire purchase arrangement where the motorcycle operators would be provided tricycles and shuttles buses for which they pay in instalments over a period of time in consideration of the plight of the people who may be affected by the ban.”

The state government succeeded in using law enforcement agents to enforce compliance with the policy thereby making motorcycle operators to relocate to rural communities. The immediate effect was that it suddenly turned them into ‘addicted’ trekkers as there were neither vehicles nor tricycles to convey them to their destinations like homes, churches, schools, business centres, and offices, among others.

Different strokes

A public relations expert, Chiedo Casmir, while speaking on the effects of the ban, said, “It made people like me who don’t map out time for trekking to walk long distances. Although to be frank with you, I enjoy this unwarranted long trek, but it made people in okada to venture into other businesses. Also, snatching of bags, phones, robbery and other vices have reduced drastically. People now move about freely unlike before. It is not cheaper to go around these places now at at times, people get stranded. And those who can’t afford the cost of procuring mini bus are left with no job; this has also increased joblessness even amongst our graduate youths.”

Ifeoluwa Tope, a student of Nnamdi Azikiwe University Awka, said, “It makes life unbearable to us the poor masses. This is ridiculous and excruciating. Can you imagine how it turned everyone into a trekker? The road is empty. We suffer to get to our various destinations especially during emergencies. There are insufficient tricycles and buses to convey people. The government should quickly do what it promised by providing the shuttle buses.”

 Perhaps, the dissenting voices and challenges residents faced in the first month of the ban prompted the governor to ask for cooperation and understanding among the populace.

In a release signed by the commissioner for information and public enlightenment, Mr C. Don Adinuba, he commended okada operators, security agencies and everyone for compliance. He said, “We also thank the people of Anambra state for their great understanding, cooperation and support. They have always been with this administration every inch of the way because they know that every policy has been designed to take them to the next level and make Anambra state truly the Light of the Nation.

“Despite the huge successes recorded in compliance with the restriction order on okada operations in Awka and Onitsha, the state government is aware of certain challenges with the implementation of the new policy. For instance, some people went late to church yesterday because there were not enough vehicles in the inner streets to transport people early enough to their destinations. This very problem was, however, solved in most places within a few hours as tricycle operators moved into those areas.

“Still, we are not oblivious of the fact that the erstwhile okada riders are yet to receive the 1,000 seven-seat shuttle buses which the state government has ordered from Japan at the cost of N765million and would be handed over to them at the exact prices they were procured. The government would bear the management charges because it regards the replacement of commercial motorcycles with buses to be owned by the former okada riders as a key economic empowerment programme for the poor in society.

 “To quicken the process of accessing the interest-free loan for the shuttle buses from the Anambra State Small Business Agency (ASBA), prospective bus owners must be identified by the Okada Operators Association in Awka and Onitsha as bona fide members. They will then go for a one-week training to be conducted by Anambra State Vehicle Inspection Office and the FRSC. On satisfactory completion of the training, they can apply to ASBA for the loan which has to be repaid within 18 months. They are required to pay an initial deposit of N100, 000. Those who cannot afford the deposit can form groups of two or three persons or cooperative societies to be eligible to apply for the facility. They will sign an undertaking to pay some money every two weeks until the loan is repaid.

 “The empowerment programme for the okada riders has understandably been generating acute interest across the nation probably because this is the first time in the history of Nigeria that such a programme has been developed. However, we would like to reiterate for the umpteenth time that only registered members of the association in Awka and Onitsha are eligible to participate in the programme.”

However, checks by Blueprint Weekend shows that the mini buses which were yet to arrive were not even captured in the current budget. So far, residents embark on trekking spree with the hope that the vehicles would definitely come, however, weeks, months have passed and now it’s over a year, but nothing to show for it. The laid off transporters, according to investigation, have been lamenting untold hardships and inability to fend for their families. Many of them are concerned that to readjust to another business like tricycle is almost impossible due to the state of the economy.

 Mr Ifeanyi Eze, a former okada operator in Okpuno, Awka South LGA, said since the ban, he has not found anything meaningful to do, but had to resort to loading Keke. “I cannot buy my own Keke because government refused to give us money or shuttle buses as they promised.”

Another former okada rider, Mr Ikenna Ogugua, alleged that none of those who paid the initial fee of N100, 000 for the procurement of government’s shuttle buses had gotten theirs nor a refund of money initially deposited.

The coordinator of OurMumuDondo, Anambra state chapter, Mr Ndubuisi Anaenugwu, in a post entitled: “The Other Side of Okada Ban in Awka and Onitsha, Anambra state,” observed that the ban has mostly affected food vendors.

 According to him, “Every afternoon beside my office around Kwatta in Awka, several okada riders assemble to patronise mama put food vendor. About 70% of the customers of this road side food vendor come from okada riders. The reason is obvious; okada riders can easily make a thousand naira in a few hours to go for N250 plate of fufu.

 “We need to understand what powers the economy. It is the micro economic activities of business units that keep the circular flow of income, consumption and expenditure afloat. Effective this morning, the policy on okada ban within Awka and Onitsha will affect the purchasing powers of many households not just among the okada riders, but to that woman beside my office, to the ugu sellers inside Eke Awka market and fish sellers out there.

“This policy tends to reduce accident causalities within these two cities as well as stopping street robbery; however, government should have implemented a complementary policy before today to cushion the effect of a gap between demand and supply. Every economic policy comes with certain degree of pains, but responsible governments all over the world consider the welfare of the ordinary people before policy execution.”

 When Blueprint Weekend contacted Adinuba, for a comment on the allegations, he said he was not disposed to comment due to health challenges. However, a source within the government cycle said the state government was working a modality to get its promise fulfilled.

According to the source, the state government was having an understanding with Innoson Motors to see if they can produce a more affordable shuttle buses for transporters.

Influx of keke

Meanwhile, the ban of okada no doubt has led to the influx of tricycle operators into the state. It also made it possible for operators to create more routes or ply more roads unlike before. But most of the operators believe the government should have given new entrants proper orientation about Keke transport business to get them acquainted with the rudiments of the Keke transport sub-sector.

Speaking to Blueprint Weekend, Mr Ndubuisi Nweke from Awkuzu said the number of Keke riders in the streets has exceeded passengers. A father of five children from Umuchu, Mazi Ebere Umeojiako, said okada ban has greatly enhanced his Keke business.

However, Mr Jude Ogbonna, said unlike before, he makes no profit as he rides on hire purchase and pays N15,000 every week since October last year.

Some of the people said they were making more money before the okada ban even as multiple ticketing (taxation) runs down their businesses. They begged the government to help train new entrants in the business as they allegedly constituted nuisance. They also appealed to the state government to reduce their daily ticket to N200 or N150 as paid in Enugu state. According to them, different people subject them into paying for tickets every day between N450 and N3, 000.

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