Members of the Motorcycle Operators Association of Lagos State (MOALS) have called on Governor Babajide Sanwo-Olu to reconsider the recent ban on Okada operation in four additional local governments and six Local Council Development Areas (LCDAs) of the state.
NewsBeatng reports that the operators made the call during a protest on Monday at the Governor’s Office, Alausa-Ikeja, Lagos.
Speaking with journalists, Tijani Pekins, MOALS Lagos State Zone C chairman, appealed to the state government to engage the association and work out modalities to safe millions of members, whose livelihoods would be affected by the ban.
Pekins said that many of their members were law abiding citizens who would never undermine the security of the state.
He said: “If security of lives and property remains government’s primary objective, definitely it is everybody’s business.
“Restriction is still far better than total ban and looking at the people this government want to send to the labour market, it is over 10 million.
“On insecurity, we are still battling Boko Haram, herdsmen and banditry. You should understand that this multitude, by implication of the ban will be out of jobs, we have schools cert holders and graduates among us.
“This is a personal business we engage ourselves in to make ends meet. Mind you, the total ban will also have multiplier effect on the chains of commerce that revolves around our various units and zones of operation, especially food vendors, mechanics, vulcanizers, spare parts dealer and others.
“Government should not just focus on the riders, they should look at the multitudes they will send back to the labour market and where is the job?
He said their protest letter had been submitted to the governor through the Chief of Staff to the Governor, Mr. Tayo Ayinde.
