By Izunna Okafor, Awka
The Anambra State Governor, Prof. Chukwuma Soludo has called for the registration of companies involved in courier services, dispatch services and home deliveries in different parts of the state.
The state Commissioner for Information, Sir Paul Nwosu disclosed this in a statement issued to newsmen on Tuesday, in which he also noted that the riders must be properly kitted up.
The Commissioner, through the statement, also restated and reiterated that the ban on commercial motorcycles (Ọkada) in major cities across the state, such as Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi and Ekwulobia is still in force, warning that anyone caught violating the ban will be made to face the full wrath of the law.
It would be recalled that the ban on Ọkada was earlier pronounced only in Awka and Onitsha, but now appeared to have been extended to the Nnewi commercial city and Ekwulobia city, which were hitherto not in the list of cities where Ọkada operation was restricted in the state.
Sir Nwosu’s statement reads: “It has come to the notice of government that commercial motorcycle riders, popularly known as “Okada” have gradually found their ways back on our roads in Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi and Ekwulobia. Their recklessness owing to lack of riding training and ignorance of traffic signs are beginning to produce high rate of avoidable accidents on our roads.
“Added to this is the fact that “Okada” has been fingered severally by law enforcement agents as being the major conveyor belt through which criminals ply their nefarious businesses.
“In the light of these ugly trends, government hereby restates and reiterates that the ban on commercial motorcycles in our major cities such as Awka, Onitsha, Nnewi and Ekwulobia is still in force.
“Anyone caught violating them will be made to face the full wrath of the law. For an area like Nnewi where private motorcycles are means of commuting to places of work and business, the rider must wear a crash helmet to protect the head in case of accident.
“Companies involved in courier services, dispatch services and home deliveries must register with the Ministry of Transport and have their riders properly kitted up. “Okada” may ply the sub urban and rural areas where motor transport is scarce, but plan is underway to have them enumerated and branded in order to determine the genuine commercial motorcyclists and be able to track any operator who is involved in breaching the law.
“ANSEC took exception to the increasing wave of domestic violence against spouses of both genders as it has been discovered that male spouses have also become victims of domestic violence. Domestic brutality or savagery in whatever form will no longer be tolerated in Anambra State.
“Anybody that is implicated in a case of domestic violence henceforth would be arrested and tried before a court of competent jurisdiction and punished accordingly. Spouses should learn to live in peace and harmony so that their lives would be worthy of emulation by their children and neighbours.”
