Let us maintain law banning ‘okada’ operations-Deputy Transport Minister Designate

Mr.Hassa Tampuli has argued that Ghana must maintain the law banning commercial motorcycle operations

Is allowance instantly strangers applauded

A Deputy Minister Designate for Transport, Mr.Hassa Tampuli has said that Ghana ought to maintain the law banning ‘okada’, commercial motorcycle operations.

He said that the riders disregard road traffic regulations leading to severe crashes and injuries therefore it would be counterproductive to legalize such a business.

Mr.Tampuli made these comments on Wednesday June 9, 2021, when he appeared before the Appointment Committee of the Parliament of Ghana to be vetted for the position of Deputy Transport Minister.

“Ghana as a country has been with motorbikes for a long time, but it’s the commercialization of same that I believe is the issue confronting us now. The issue goes beyond ‘okada’. I think that generally, motorcycle riders sometimes turn to engage in some amount of rascality on the streets, and most of them don’t respect the road traffic regulations, and sometimes you see two or three people riding on the same bike with no helmets so, in the event of a crash, they don’t have any safety as far as the accident is concerned.”

“Currently, the commercialization of motorbike is outlawed under the road traffic regulations, and I believe we should continue to maintain it for now until we are able to do a lot more public education about the use of it as a means of transport before we can roll it out.”

Background

The use of motorbikes for commercial transport in Ghana was outlawed in 2012 under Regulation 128 (1 – 4) of Road Traffic Regulations 2012, which states:

 “The licensing authority shall not register a motorcycle to carry a fare-paying passenger.”

The ‘Okada’ legalization debate came up strongly in the lead up to the 2020 General elections especially between the two major political parties in Ghana.

The Bureau of Public Safety therefore came out publicly to demand details of how the commercial use of motorcycles would be regulated.