Five years after the ban of the operation of commercial motorcyclists in Awka and Onitsha, members of Motorcycle Operators Union of Nigeria (MOUN) Anambra chapter are appealing to Governor Charles Soludo to lift the ban in the state.
The immediate past Governor of the state, Chief Willie Obiano had in the year 2018 banned the operation of commercial motorcyclists in Awka and Onitsha due to high rate of accidents and crimes allegedly perpetrated criminals using motorcycles.
Inspire the ban in Awka and Onitsha, commercial motorcyclists still operate in Nnewi, Ekwulobia and other communities of the state.
Prince Bartholomew Igwedibia, State chairman of MOUN said on Wednesday at MOUN Anambra headquarters, Amansea near Awka that the state stands to benefit more if the ban on Okada is lifted.
Igwedibia who spoke shortly after his inauguration as the new State chairman of the union appealed to Soludo to reverse the order in order to explore the huge revenue window.
Igwedibia said, commercial motorcycle operators have the potential to contribute billions into the coffers of the state’s internally generated revenue due to their massive numbers.
He said the reason adduced by former governor in banning motorcyclists has been proven wrong.
According to him, ”Obiano claimed criminals were committing crime with Okada, but today we have seen that crime has no boundaries, some criminals even use police, army uniforms as well as cassocks to commit crime”.
Igwedibia lamented the hardship Okada operators were faced due to the segregative treatments.
He said if the order is reversed the state would gain more than the ban, adding that there are some hard-to-reach areas that Okada was hitherto helping to convey people which residents now trek.
Mr Boniface Okonkwo, Vice Chairman, MOUN South-East geo-political zone said members of the union would be glad if the ban is lifted.
Okonkwo noted that since the ban, crime and criminality have continued unabated in parts of the state, showing that Okada riders were not behind criminalities.
“We support Gov Charles Soludo due to his good works in the state and his interest in the development of the state and will like him to succeed by contributing our quota.
“MOUN members are willing to support the good policies and programmes of the governor by contributing our quota via improved internally generated revenue generation”, he said.
Okonkwo said the union appreciated Soludo for bringing governance to the grassroots through execution of numerous projects, saying if more fund is provided, Soludo will do more.
Chief John Oledibe, National Vice President of MOUN who also spoke said the union was now affiliated to Nigeria Labour Congress (NLC) and had streamlined it’s activities.
He said, Anambra cannot afford to occupy back seat in the restructuring going on in MOUN, adding that there are efforts to sanitize the operations of the union nationwide.