Delta govt plans to ban commercial motorcyclists

The Delta State government is planning to ban the use of commercial motorcycles known as okada, from operating in the state before the end of October.This indication was given by Governor Emmanuel Uduaghan when he told newsmen in an interactive session in Asaba on Monday that the government had acquired more than 1,000 tricycles to be used for transportation.He said the tricycles would be inaugurated next week, adding that they would be distributed to individuals for transportation in major cities in the state.``The acquisition of the tricycles is intended to discourage the use of okada in our cities. It signifies a gradual phasing out of commercial motorcycles in the state. In about four months from now, okada will give way for tricycles in the state and we know that tricycles are more comfortable and with roof to protect passengers from rain and sun,'' the governor said.He said that the government had also procured enough boats for marine transportation, as well as many 56-seater buses ordered from Brazil, to strengthen mass transit system in the state.The governor also alerted the public in the state that terrorists were on the prowl, but gave the assurance that the state government had taken measures to police the state.He said that the security measures had helped in reducing the incidents of kidnapping, which assumed disturbing dimension between January and March.``We have intensified our intelligence gathering strategy and it has been quite rewarding,'' he said.He further disclosed that armed robbers had shifted their operations to banks in rural areas and called for vigilance and cooperation from members of the public.He announced that the government had acquired more equipment for security agencies in the state and disclosed that the acting Inspector General of Police, Mr Mohammed Abubakar, would be in the state soon to inaugurate the facilities.
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