Ban on Okada Business - I Beg To Differ Mike Hamah

Ghanaweb reported on Saturday (04/04/09) that the Minister of Transport, Mike Hamah, had advised those operating motor bicycle taxi popularly called okada, to desist from the practice “as it poses a major danger and threat to the passengers they carry and other road users.”

Sir I beg to differ. You are rather going to create some unnecessary problems for the police and other law enforcement groups in the city. Already they have more on their hands.

Second, you are killing a genuine initiative. These people have spent resources to acquire the motor-bikes. Some might have borrowed the money for it.

Third, the customers have not complained. They pay for what they get. If they have committed any crime prosecute them according to the law. You just do not stop something because you do not want it.

In the early 90s some Jamaicans resident in New York City illegally introduced "tro tro' in certain parts of the city. They charged a $1 per ride. The Metropolitan Transportation Authority (MTA) raised alarm that their work was being usurped by those drivers. Initially, they were harassed by the police. Mayor Dinkins' staff and some community leaders came together to find a solution. They argued that they were not in any way interfering with the bus services. Rather they were supplementing the work of the buses and trains. They picked passengers from where the buses would not go and brought them to the buses and trains. They prevailed. The City gave them guidelines for registration and operation.

Please do same to these people. Come out with rules for registration and operation and let them do business in the city. Togo, Nigeria, Benin and India have been operating this kind of business for some time now. India and Nigeria in particular have dense populations in their cities and the Okada has been one of the easy ways for people to move around. Accra is growing by leaps and bounds. Not all would be able to afford taxis, trotro and others. Let people have other choices for movement.

This could also be another source of business for the Ghanaian importer who is looking for an avenue to bring goods into the country. Mike-Hama, what about making your wife, girl friends, relatives and others the sole importers of bike helmets and other accoutrements for the business? Would that not be a good source of income for those concerned? All you need to do is get lawyers at your ministry come out with the appropriate legislation to back the business and set up rules and regulations of operation for both the drivers and their passengers.

In the late 60s and early 70s there was a factory in Ghana that produced motor-bikes called Tomos. I was very young at that time but I could see some people use them for entertainment. Probably one of the factors for its demise was lack of patronage. Instead of banning the Okada business why cannot you use it as an argument to get somebody re-establishes the factory in one of the villages in your area or possibly in my village, Jatokrom in Kumasi? This is a direct provision of ammunition to your opponents to shoot you. The law allows freedom of movement. The country over the years has permited the use of motor-bikes for personal use. Political parties use them for their campaigns without any hindrance. What if your opponents decide to import over hundred thousand to be used by its foot soldiers? Are you going to stop them from picking friends and party faithful? Would you arrest them for carrying people? How would you know if they charged them? Would you arrest such people for violating the law? They would come out charging you for human right abuse, restricting their freedom of choice, freedom of movement and targeting them because of their political association. Where would you put them if you decide to arrest them? Can you arrest all of them or you want to risk the charge of selective justice? Mike do not start a fight that is not necessary and more so you cannot win.

Instead of “a meeting with the leadership of the 'okada' operators to see how they could engage in alternative ventures other than what they were doing” you should let them come out with some of the rules that would make their operations very effective and legally safe for all. This is a good source of job creation and income generation for both the government and the citizenry. Your argument that “government was putting measures in place to check and stop any activity on the roads that could cause accidents or inconvenience to other people” seemed to suggest that banning the Okada business would reduce road accidents. The Okada business is yet to be in full bloom yet Ghana continues to experience road accidents. It must be noted that accident is caused by any form of movement. (mpu ne mpu no dey for your country? Go to Kadjetia and see!) We bump into each other on daily basis as we move around; we bite our fingers/tongues just as we move them in/to our mouths. Stationary cars do not cause accidents until there is some form of movement. Thus if you want to achieve the tenets of your statement then you better ban all forms of movement. Since this is not possible your best bet is contained in your observation that some of the accidents that occurred on the roads could be prevented if some of the drivers adhered to advice and observed road signs and other rules and regulations.

Okada business should not be banned but regulated!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!!

OPANIN KWABENA MENSAH