Motorcycle Ban: FG should consider collaboration, regulation, not ban – Association

The Amalgamated Commercial Tricycle and Motorcycle Owners Repairs and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) on Monday said, the proposed ban of motor cycle riders was not in the best interest of the Nigeria.

Speaking at a press conference in Abuja on Monday, the association insisted that the proposed Federal government policy to ban motor cycle riders, popularly called ‘okada’ which was made known by the Attorney General and Minister of Justice, Abubakar Malami was worrisome, particularly the linking of okada riders to terrorism in Nigeria.

The National President of (ACOMORAN) Alhaji Adebayo Samsudeen expressed concern saying, “banning of motorcycle is not the solution to security problem in Nigeria”, even as motor cycle transportation has become the means of livelihood to millions of Nigerians.

He pointed out that the proposed ban when comes into effect would be one of the greatest mistakes of the Federal government.

According to ACOMORAN president, Ambassador Adebayo alluded to the fact that the proposed government policy will render not lass than 40 millions Nigerian jobless that may probably produce more crime to the society.

According to the national president, “we contribute a lot to the national economy by providing jobs to the youths, we pay our taxes daily to the government in form of tickets and levies and we have never failed to comply with any safety directory.”

Adebayo wondered how motor cycle riders were responsible for terrorism, asking: “when terrorists regrettably attacked Kuje Correctional facility, was it the motorcycle riders that caused the failure of intelligence gathering”?

The association insisted that the current crime in Nigeria was never connected to activities of motorcycle riders, while they advised security agents to rise up to the occasion of proactive measures of nipping criminals in the bud.