THE LUNACY OF LAGOS: THOUGHTS ON THE BIKE BAN
For a number of posts now, we've been on about the lunacy that is Lagos and how much this city has to do to become a megacity.
A few days back as many know, the Lagos state govt placed a ban on motorcycles popularly called “okada” and tricycles more commonly known as “keke napep” in a number of commercial areas in Lagos. In light of this, a number of Lagos residents have registered their displeasure at this new regulation by the government.
Government sources have cited the supposed high rate of crime perpetuated by the operators of these light automobile as one of the cardinal reasons for the ban. It has also been mentioned that a high rate of accidents caused by the operators is another reason for the ban.
However, a lot of Lagos residents view this new policy as a poorly thought out initiative that will eventually end up being counterproductive. One key question that has been raised is:
What will happen to the riders of these vehicles and people dependent on them?
A lot of these riders have this transport business as their sole source of livelihood and the Lagos state government snatching this source of livelihood away from them with no sort of viable options is callous to say the least. Most of the owners of these tricycles and bikes have family members who are dependent on them for sustenance and taking away this means of livelihood is a move that may come back to haunt everyone.
A portion of Lagosians believe this ban rather than reducing crime rate, will only lead to an increase in crime rate, as many young men will be left idle and will turn to terrorizing innocent residents of the state to make ends meet.
Another glaring loophole of this new regulation is the fact that there's yet to be palliative measures provided by the authorities to ease the burden on residents of Lagos. In the last few days, it hasn’t been uncommon to see scores of Lagosians trekking relatively long distances under the scorching heat due to this new policy. And for those who have been able to board commercial buses popularly called “danfos”, there’s been an insane 100% increase in the bus fares, making transportation a real headache for the average lagosian.
In a city which was already beset with transport and logistic issues due to the ongoing road repair works, this kind of decision just comes up as baffling and ridiculous. This ban will go a long way in affecting everyone, as the regular school kid now has to walk long distances as the “kekes” and “okadas” which used to be available to shorten the time required to reach school are no longer available.
It is hoped that the Lagos state government will put on their thinking cap and reassess this regulation, as they may have set a ticking time bomb that could explode anytime soon and affect everyone.
A few days back as many know, the Lagos state govt placed a ban on motorcycles popularly called “okada” and tricycles more commonly known as “keke napep” in a number of commercial areas in Lagos. In light of this, a number of Lagos residents have registered their displeasure at this new regulation by the government.
Government sources have cited the supposed high rate of crime perpetuated by the operators of these light automobile as one of the cardinal reasons for the ban. It has also been mentioned that a high rate of accidents caused by the operators is another reason for the ban.
However, a lot of Lagos residents view this new policy as a poorly thought out initiative that will eventually end up being counterproductive. One key question that has been raised is:
What will happen to the riders of these vehicles and people dependent on them?
A lot of these riders have this transport business as their sole source of livelihood and the Lagos state government snatching this source of livelihood away from them with no sort of viable options is callous to say the least. Most of the owners of these tricycles and bikes have family members who are dependent on them for sustenance and taking away this means of livelihood is a move that may come back to haunt everyone.
A portion of Lagosians believe this ban rather than reducing crime rate, will only lead to an increase in crime rate, as many young men will be left idle and will turn to terrorizing innocent residents of the state to make ends meet.
Another glaring loophole of this new regulation is the fact that there's yet to be palliative measures provided by the authorities to ease the burden on residents of Lagos. In the last few days, it hasn’t been uncommon to see scores of Lagosians trekking relatively long distances under the scorching heat due to this new policy. And for those who have been able to board commercial buses popularly called “danfos”, there’s been an insane 100% increase in the bus fares, making transportation a real headache for the average lagosian.
In a city which was already beset with transport and logistic issues due to the ongoing road repair works, this kind of decision just comes up as baffling and ridiculous. This ban will go a long way in affecting everyone, as the regular school kid now has to walk long distances as the “kekes” and “okadas” which used to be available to shorten the time required to reach school are no longer available.
It is hoped that the Lagos state government will put on their thinking cap and reassess this regulation, as they may have set a ticking time bomb that could explode anytime soon and affect everyone.
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