Following the proscription of the activities of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in some Local Government Areas in Lagos, by the state government earlier this week, pilots and operators of bike-hailing startups like Gokada, Max and ORide have taken to the streets of Lagos in protest.
The protest which majorly carried out by Gokada and OPay riders was staged from Oregun to the Lagos state secretariat in Ikeja, Technext reports.
Carrying placards with inscriptions like ‘REGULATE US NOT KILL US,’ ‘#OUR JOBS MATTER,’ and ‘REGULATENOTBAN’, the riders called on the state government not to ban but rather regulate their activities.
This is not the first of the ride-hailing riders’ protest. A few days ago, one Gokada rider, through the startups’ twitter page, lamented the impending loss of his job and the repercussion to the livelihood of his family.
Brandpower reported earlier this week that the Lagos state government banned commercial motorcyclists known as Okada, and tricycles (Keke) around the state’s metropolis.
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Gbenga Omotoso, the State Commissioner for Information and Strategy, who disclosed the information at a press briefing on Monday, January 27th, 2020, said the decision was reached at a meeting of the Lagos State Government and the Lagos State Security Council. The government attributed the ban to the rising rate of crime and accidents citing a 2018 law – Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018.
Following the impending implementation of the ban, riders of ride-hailing startups and commercial operators made a case for themselves, insisting that they have always operated within the provisions of Lagos state transport laws.
However, ride-hailing would still stay off the restricted areas from February 1st as Omotoso has warned that offenders and violators would be dealt with in accordance with the laws of the state.
Yetunde Adegoke
