What Is Okada? Lawyer Frank Boakye Agyen Writes
The term has a NIGERIAN ORIGIN connoting the, use of motor bicycles as taxis.
It has been used as such, in Ghana, to connote Commercial use of motorbikes, licensed or not, to engage in transporting persons between two destinations.
Some owners/riders are of good character, who in the face of lack of skills, and apparent unemployment, want to make descent living by engaging in OKADA as business.
But there are others, who are, as usual, so NOTORIOUSLY CUT not to engage in descent life.
BUT do capitalise on unsuspecting persons and COMMIT CRIMES on them under the guise of OKADA.
There are various types of MOTOR RIDERS.
a)Persons who own motor bikes, sometimes, purchased with loans from their employers, to facilitate their movements to and from their work places.
b) Some of such persons pick their friends and or co-workers on their journeys
c) There are private and official motor riders who dispatch prepared food to offices and work places, from producers to consumers
d) There are others, particularly, around Abossey Okai spare parts shops in Accra who convey essential motor parts to stranded vehicles to be fixed to enable stranded vehicles to facilitate their movements.
e) There are also those (THE OKADA) for business, who convey workers policemen, soldiers, nurses and school children etc to destinations for duty on time to avoid the difficult traffic jams for vehicular movements.
f) And even, there are others who clear the way for “TAXI AMBULANCES” to enable them to convey the ‘sick’ to hospitals.
g) But there are the pure CRIMINAL OKADAS, who ply their trade for very high crimes, murder (carrying killers), robberies with arms etc. etc.
The last group (g) is the target for this write-up.
It must be the target for streamlining the use of motor bikes (OKADA).
SUGGESTIONS
A. Get all motor bikes strictly licensed.
B. Get all commercial (except private ones) painted in particular colours creating jobs for sprayers who will get money in their pockets.
C. RED COLOUR, for strictly COMMERCIAL OKADA.
It should go with:
i) Conspicuous and Big number plates in White/Black at the back of the bikes.
WITH :
PICTURES OF:
the rider conspicuously displayed on a corner of the plate.
iii) with telephone number and house address also conspicuously displayed.
iv) With displayed helmet.
v) With first aid materials available.
vi) with valid third-party insurance available.
vii) With Police Criminal Clearance Certificate.
viii) With a certificate “of base” shown on demand, from the MMDA of its operational area (must be verifiable)
viv) Of course, a tax element will attract the issue of MMDA certificate improving the IGF of the Assemblies.
ix)AND The profession of Internal Auditors must be on the alert at the assemblies to avoid corruption.
x) The other motor bike users can be assigned other colours and modified directives.
Such colours, as green, blue, white etc. may be considered for them.
xi) The riders must be in an authorised but enforced uniform AND OBEY ALL RED-LIGHT REGULATIONS.
They may belong to organisations to protect their rights.
xii) Any breach must attract Punitive Retribution Including a Defined “ON THE SPOT FINE.”
We cannot Refuse to Streamline and Legalise OKADA.
IT HAS COME TO STAY
Just as MARIJUANA HAS.
LET US REGULATE IT FOR THE GENERAL GOOD OF THE COUNTRY.
I said about 4 year ago, in my earlier write-up, ON OKADA that if you visit the beautiful mountain-top town of Nyabgo-Sroe in the Volta Region OR Tetekaaso in my constituency in Ashanti or Dukusen in the Asante Akyem North Constituency in Ashanti, you will wish to enjoy the use of Commercial Okada instead of riding in an old dilapidated taxi that can carry twelve (12) persons on a journey, don’t mention the luggage element.
MY HUMBLE RHETORIC, PLEASE.
And I pray the Good and Hard Working Minister for Transport to consider my BEEF. BUT IN ALL THAT
PLEASE, a special Task Force may be formed from within and/or without the Police Service to enforce the Regulations.
When this is done, the Minister can facilitate the Passing of legislation if l make sense.
Lawyer Frank Boakye Agyen – Former MP, Effiduase Asokore constituency