Oyo State Chapter of Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN) has appealed to Oyo Assembly House of Assembly to put human face to passage of the bill which has to do with restriction of movement and working hours of motorcycle operators in the state.
ACOMORAN Chairman in Oyo State, Comrade Solomon Olugbode made the appeal in Ibadan, the state capital during a public lecture organised by the United Nations Global Road Safety Campaign.
Olugbode also charged the state government to prioritise security of lives and properties instead of restricting the operating hours of motorcycle operators to certain period of time.
He noted that there is need for security agencies to overhaul the security architecture of the state and the country at large instead of blaming the weaker section of society for the rampaging lawlessness in the society.
He described the commercial motorcycle operators as the weaker section of the society, stressing that no comfortable Nigerian would take to such adventure except to keep body and soul together as his last hope.
Olugbode reiterated that commercial motorcycle operation has helped many youths to curb problems of unemployment as many use it to sponsor their education, adding that the people involved in the okada riding are decent members of the society.
“Considering its benefits, many people who could have been out of labour market were directly or indirectly gainfully employed as many people also sell spare parts while many others were trained mechanics. Today in Oyo State alone, we have over 100 thousand full and part time riders feeding their families through motorcycle and tricycle operation.” Olugbode stated.
He however lamented the heinous activities of some criminals who hide under okada riding to perpetrate evils, stressing that they are not registered members of ACOMORAN.
He added that ACOMORAN only has power over its members, and lacks power to enforce its laws on non members. He stated that it would be tantamount to criminal offence to try to enforce laws by someone who is not empowered to do so.
He therefore called on Oyo State Government to empower and saddle ACOMORAN with the control of commercial motorcycle and tricycle riders in the state in order to make them answerable to the government and responsible for any action by its members. He added that ACOMORAN can only hold its members responsible and accountable.
“The major challenge is insecurity which can be resolved if the government is ready to do the needful by returning motorcycle and tricycle parks violently hijacked by motorist union to ACOMORAN who always trains its riders for effectiveness.
“Enacting the law to recognise a body like ACOMORAN will help sanitise the operation of commercial motorcycle and tricycle fir maximum productivity” Olugbode added.
The highlight of the event was the decoration of Comrade Solomon Olugbode with an award of Distinguished Leadership by the Rescue Corp in commemoration of 2023 United Nations Global Road Safety Campaign.
The program which was attended by Federal Road Safety Corp (FRSC), Vehicle Inspection Officer (VIO), Oyo State Fire Service and some other stakeholders