Okada ban starts today, Lagos deploys more boats

A new ban on commercial motorcycle operations, popularly known as Okada, in six Local Governments and nine local council development centers in Lagos State by the Governor of the region, Babajide Sanwo-Olu, comes into effect from Wednesday (today).

Auntyamebo blog reported that Sanwo-Olu, on May 18, 2022, announced the ban in a meeting with the Regional Police Commissioner, Area Managers and the State House Police Station in Alausa.

Effective June 1, 2022, the governor ordered the security services to enforce the ban on all councils: Eti-Osa, Ikeja, Surulere, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, and Apapa.

As enforcement begins, Lagos Ferry Services said it has deployed more boats and extended daily operational trips to the terminals and jets found within areas in the province where the activities of commercial motorcyclists are banned.

The Head of the Department of Public Affairs, LAGFERRY, Akeem Odusina, made the statement in a media statement on Tuesday.

Terminals and widgets, according to the statement, include the Badore terminal, Badore; Ipakodo terminal, Ikorodu; Five Cowries Terminal, Ikoyi; CMS / Victoria Island terminal; Liverpool terminal, Apapa and Ilaje Bariga terminal, Bariga.

In a statement, Odusina noted that “water travel is less than 100 percent congestion and there are first- and last-minute buses available at the airport to take passengers to their destination.”

While assuring the traveling community of safe, fast, reliable and relevant information on waterways, the statement added that the terminals have secured more parking.

Meanwhile, the Lagos Regional Government has said there is no need to worry about the planned enforcement of the Okada ban.

Information and Strategy Commissioner Gbenga Omotosho, in a statement, said measures were in place to prevent any disruption, adding that the ban would work without compromise.

“There is no need to worry about enforcement of the ban, which has been hailed by the majority of Lagosians as a strengthening of Lagos Traffic Law 2012 (amended 2018),” the statement read in part.

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