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The commercial motorcycle operators in Awka, Onitsha and environs are licking their wounds after humiliation and suffering in the hands of Anambra state government for banning their operations in the state.
It would be recalled that the state government had restricted commercial motorcycle operators, popularly known as Okada, in Awka, Onitsha and environs from July 1.
The restricted areas for motorcycle operations, as stated by Secretary to the State Government, Prof. Solo Chukwulobelu included GREATER ONITSHA AREA: Onitsha Urban (Onitsha North and South LGAs), Okpoko, Ogbaru Metro and 3/3 Area.
Other are Obosi/ Awada Area, Nkpor Area up to Ugwunwasike/ New Tarzan, Ogidi Urban and Oba Urban
Also are GREATER AWKA AREA: Awka Metro (including all adjourning streets within the town) and Amawbia Metro (including all adjourning streets in the town).
Nibo Metro: Okpuno, Amansea and SPECIAL AREAS: All major highways from Head Bridge (Onitsha) to Amansea (including the Expressway and Old Road).
All major highways from Head Bridge (Onitsha) to Upper Iweka, to Owerri road and Oba Junction.
Some of the cyclists, particularly around Nkpor areas who spoke to BusinessDay correspondent lamented their sufferings since took effect from July 1.
Mr Kenneth Amike, one of them and family of five said that life have not been easy for them in these first three days as his motorcycle business was the major source income.
He said he was doing well in the 90s in cloth trading at the Main Market, Onitsha, but lost everything to fire disaster.
“We have been surviving from this Okada business which I bought from my little savings and some amount borrowed from friends.
” Things are hard recently in the country and relocation will be difficult, who will give me cash to buy a new shuttle bus which the state government had introduced instead of motorcycle operation in the state,” Amike said.
Mr Philip Ohah, a cyclist appealed to the state government to give them more time at least to the end of this year to get alternative means of livelihood.
“We cannot fight government, but less than three months which the directive was given to us to relocate or find other things to do was not enough.
“Where is the money. There is none anywhere. Some of us are graduates, but no employment. We took to this business because we do not want to steal to live,” Ohah said.
Mr C. Don Adinuba, Commissioner for Information & Public Enlightenment said that the state government was aware that the erstwhile Okada riders in Awka and Onitsha had yet to receive the N765 million 1000 seven-seat shuttle buses which it has ordered for them from Japan.
He said that the state government would hand over to them at the exact prices at which the buses were procured.
“The government will bear the management charges because it regards the replacement of commercial motorcycles with buses to be owned by the former Okada riders as a key economic empowerment programme for the poor in society.
According to him, to quicken the process of accessing the interest-free loan for the shuttle buses from the Anambra State Small Business Agency (ASBA), prospective bus owners must be identified by the Okada Operators Association in Awka and Onitsha as bona fide members.
“They will then go for one week training to be conducted by the Anambra State Vehicle Inspection Office and the FRSC.
“On satisfactory completion of the training, they can apply to ASBA for the loan which has to be repaid within 18 months.
” They are required to pay an initial deposit of N100,000; those who cannot afford the deposit can form groups of two or three persons or cooperative societies to be eligible to apply for the facility.
“They will sign an undertaking to pay some money every two weeks until the loan is repaid,” Adinuba said.
He said the empowerment programme for the Okada riders had understandably been generating acute interest across the nation probably because this is the first time in the history of Nigeria that such a programme has been developed.
“However, we would like to reiterate for the umpteenth time that only registered Okada riders who are members of the Association of Okada Operators in Awka and Onitsha are eligible to participate in the programme,” he said.
