Okada debate: Bawumia’s car promise a joke – Okada riders Association

Some commercial motorbike riders have expressed disappointment in the announcement by Vice-president Dr Mahamudu Bawumiah that the government does not intend to legalize their business.

Government is engaging the okada riders on the demands for the legalization of their business after NDC flagbearer John Mahama announced such plans if he wins the December elections.

Dr Bawumiah who was speaking at a ceremony to launch cars assembled in Ghana said government will rather support the okada riders to have the new vehicles due to the risk associated with the transportation services.

A spokesperson for the Okada riders association, Solomon Akpanaba was however of the view that government has been misinformed about their operations.

He quizzed “now you are coming out to say that Okada is risky. We are asking that is it today that you know okada is risky? If yes, the motorbikes that are in town for sale, are they going to deport them? Because you allow risky equipment to be brought into the country then you declare them as risky after taking your tax.”

“We are also saying that yesterday and today alone in Ghana, we know how many lives are lost through vehicular accidents. Those vehicles are not risky per the analysis of Dr Bawumiah. We are disappointed in them and we will speak louder on 7th December.”

He added “you are saying that you are going to buy cars for us in place of motorbikes, just look at that joke. Motorbike is an alternative means of transport where there are traffic jams, you are going to solve that problem by providing cars again, just look at this."