Muntaka Mubarak calls for legalisation of Okada

Minority Chief Whip and MP for Asawase Muntaka Mubarak has submitted a bold statement on the floor of parliament with a call for the LEGALIZATION of ‘okada’ business.

His concerns follow the Transport Minister’s call on the Inspector General of Police (IGP) to arrest persons who use motorcycles, popularly called Okada after 9:30 pm. The Minister had said the move will help reduce crime as well as motorcycle related deaths accidents in the country.

Responding to the Ministers call in a statement on the floor of the House on Thursday, Minority Chief Whip, Mohammed Muntaka Mubarak charged the government to legalize the commercial use of motorcycles as ‘Okada’ due to its contributions to the Ghanaian economy.

According to him, the rise of the phenomenon is because of its convenience and opportunities for job creation associated with Okada business.

“Even though these Okada operators are working hard to make a living, their activities have been described by some people as counterproductive because many of them flout road traffic regulations. They fail to wear protective clothing such as helmets, thereby putting their lives and those of their clients in danger. Some of them ride recklessly resulting in road accidents.

“These negative tendencies necessitated a call for an outright ban of the practice and also some of the major reasons that initially influenced the passage of the law. But it is my considered view that the benefits outweigh the social costs and as such we cannot kill the goose that laid the golden eggs by this country’s continuous ban on the use of motorcycle or tricycle for commercial purposes,” he stated.