Lagos Laments Return of Commercial Motorcycles in Eti-Osa, Others

Image

Motorcycle taxi drivers sit on their bikes, popularly called “Okada”, in Obalende, Lagos Island, Nigeria, January 27, 2020. Picture taken January 27, 2020. REUTERS/Temillade Adelaja – RC20PE91AEKH

By Modupe Gbadeyanka

The Lagos State Government has maintained operations of commercial motorcycles in 10 local government areas (LGAs), and 15 local council development areas (LCDAs) across the state remained prohibited.

The Special Adviser to the Governor on Transportation, Mr Sola Giwa, made this disclosure over the weekend when he toured some of the restricted areas.

He lamented the return of Okadas in these areas, noting that law enforcement agencies have been given the directive to ensure the ban is adhered to.

The state government in 2022 prohibited commercial motorcycles in Kosofe, Oshodi-Isolo, Somolu, Mushin, Apapa, Ikeja, Lagos Island, Lagos Mainland, Surulere and Eti-Osa LGAs and Ojodu, Onigbongbo, Lagos Island East, Yaba, Coker-Aguda. Itire-Ikate, Eti-Osa West, Iru Victoria Island, Ikoyi-Obalende, Ikosi-Isheri, Agboyi-Ketu, Isolo, Ejigbo, Bariga and Odi-Olowo LCDAs.

While urging both riders and passengers to desist from contravening the ban, the Special Adviser implored the general public to comply as both the riders and passengers are liable to three years in prison if apprehended and prosecuted.

He added that motorcycles impounded will be crushed in line with the provision of Section 46, sub-section 1, 2 & 3 of the Transport Sector Reform Law (TSRL), 2018.

Mr Giwa, therefore, solicited the support of residents towards ensuring full compliance with all government policies, noting that despite the available existing interventions and viable alternatives provided for okada operators, which were expected to cushion the effect of the ban on their livelihood, the recalcitrant riders have refused to take advantage of them.

He revealed that some of the viable alternatives had been made available for the operators by the State Government through the Ministry of Women Affairs and Poverty Alleviation (WAPA), Ministry of Wealth Creations and Employment, Office of Civic Engagement, Office of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Lagos State Employment Trust Fund (LSETF), Lagos Economic Acceleration Programme (LEAP) and the Ministry of Agriculture (Agric YES), among others.

He also said the state government’s First and Last Mile Bus Transport Scheme, the BRT Scheme, the Lagos e-hailing taxi Scheme (LAGRIDE), and other sustainable modes of transportation were also part of interventions provided to minimise the inconveniences of the motoring public in executing their daily activities.

The Governor’s aide averred that the position of the state government on okada is very clear, stressing that there is no going back in order to consolidate on the achievements made so far in the decrease in the accident and crime rates as well as the return of sanity to the communities within the state.

The Special Adviser averred that the security agencies who have been partnering with the state government, including the Nigeria Police Force, the Army, Navy and Air Force, are still prepared to sustain enforcement on all the banned corridors; this is in addition to the operations of the State Traffic Management Authority (LASTMA) and the Anti-Okada Squad.

Share
Related Stories
Image
10-March-2024

Tinubu to Inaugurate Agro-Zone, Airport in Niger State

By Adedapo Adesanya President Bola Tinubu is set to inaugurate an agro-processing zone and the remodelled Minna International Airport in Niger State on Monday. The Governor of the state, Mr Mohammed Umaru-Bago, said while inspecting the projects on Saturday that about 2,000 hectares would be utilised for the agro-processing zone project, adding that about 1,000 hectares would be utilised for drip irrigation and greenhouses while an additional 1,000 hectares was specifically for the processing of dairy products. He added that the remodelling of the International Airport in Minna had reached 99 per cent completion. “Niger State sells an average of

Image
17-March-2024

Manufacturers, LCCI Laud Suspension of Expatriate Employment Levy

By Adedapo Adesanya The Manufacturers Association of Nigeria and the Lagos Chamber of Commerce and Industry (LCCI) have lauded the decision of the federal government to halt the implementation of the Expatriate Employment Levy (EEL). The Expatriate Employment Levy, a new policy that was introduced by the federal government aimed to address wage gaps between expatriates and the Nigerian labour force while encouraging skills transfer and the employment of qualified Nigerians in foreign-owned companies. The new fee was $10,000 for staff and $15,000 for directors, which represented a significant shift from the $2,000 paid by foreign nationals for the Combined

Image
12-March-2024

Some Senior Senators Got N500m Each from 2024 Budget—Jarigbe

By Aduragbemi Omiyale A senator from Cross River State, Mr Agom Jarigbe, has alleged that some senior senators were allocated about N500 million each in the 2024 budget of N28.7 trillion. The federal lawmaker made this allegation on the floor of the upper chamber of the National Assembly on Tuesday during a debate on the accusation of budget padding raised by another senator, Mr Abdul Ningi. Mr Ningi had claimed that only N25 trillion of the budget could be traced and verified, while N3.7 billion could not be matched to any item line in the appropriation law. The matter, which

More Stories
Image
01-June-2022

Naira Edges Higher by 0.18% at Official Market as Cardano, Ripple Rise

By Adedapo Adesanya The local currency, the Naira, was strengthened against the United States Dollar at the official market on Tuesday, appreciating by 0.18 per cent or 75 kobo at the close of business. According to data from the FMDQ Securities Exchange, the domestic currency was sold for N419.50/$1 at the Investors and Exporters (I&E) segment of the foreign exchange (forex( market yesterday compared with the N420.25/$1 it traded on Monday. It gained more weight yesterday after witnessing ease in the FX demand pressure amid a shortage of forex in the system caused by political activities in the country ahead

Image
29-January-2022

Naira Gains Confidence on Low Forex Transactions at Spot Market

By Adedapo Adesanya The confidence of the Naira against the United States Dollar was boosted at the Investors and Exporters (I&E) segment of the foreign exchange (forex) market on Friday. Business Post reports that the local currency appreciated by 33 kobo or 0.08 per cent yesterday to exchange at N416.00/$1 compared with N416.33/$1 of the previous session. Low forex transactions at the spot market helped the domestic currency get back on its feet on the final trading day of the week and with enough FX to meet the demands of customers, it was certain that it would close stronger. The

Image
28-September-2017

Nigeria’s Manufacturing PMI Grows 6th Consecutive Month to 55.3 in September

By Modupe Gbadeyanka Data released today by the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) revealed that the country’s manufacturing purchasing managers index (PMI) increased in the month of September 2017. In the CBN’s PMI Survey Report obtained by Business Post on Thursday, the apex bank noted the manufacturing PMI increased to 55.3 index points this month, indicating expansion in the manufacturing sector for the sixth consecutive month. The report explained that 14 of the 16 subsectors reported growth in the review month in the following order: appliances & components; electrical equipment; chemical & pharmaceutical products; non-metallic mineral products; printing & related

Image
26-December-2017

IST, SEC Partner to Punish Fraudulent Capital Market Operators

By Dipo Olowookere Chairman of the Investments and Securities Tribunal (IST), Mr Isaiah Idoko-Akor, has disclosed that his body will continue to work hard to bring sanity in the Nigerian capital market, especially in the area of resolving disputes and punishing operators found committing fraudulent acts. Mr Idoko-Akor made this disclosure on Tuesday when he paid a courtesy visit to the Acting Director-General of the Securities and Exchange Commission (SEC), Mr Abdul Zubair, in his office in Abuja. Explaining the reason for his visit, the IST chairman said it was mainly to seek continuous support of the country’s apex capital

Image
18-October-2018

Dangote Cement, Seplat Drag Index Down by 0.87%

By Dipo Olowookere The gains recorded by the Nigerian Stock Exchange (NSE) on Tuesday were reversed on Wednesday following the losses posted by Dangote Cement, Seplat and other stocks. The local stock market was down by 0.87 percent yesterday as a result of the poor performances of 22 equities led by Dangote Cement and Seplat, both shedding N5 each to settle at N200 per share and N615 per share respectively. CAP lost N2.05k to end at N30.95k per share, UAC of Nigeria declined by N1 to close at N10 per share, while GlaxoSmithKline depreciated by 50 kobo to finish at

Image
12-April-2020

COVID-19: Strengthening Communal Spirit in Times of Great Need

By Okechukwu Keshi Ukegbu No time should provoke communal spirit at its peak than when the world is faced with stringent emergencies. And no time provides the opportunity better than this time when the world is faced with great need- the world social and economic activities are currently grounded by the outbreak of the pandemic, Coronavirus. Unfortunately, the contrary is the case. People hoard goods and services to create artificial scarcity. The consequence of this is that the prices of these goods and services climb to the mountain top, thereby shooting it out of the reach of the common man.

Image
01-August-2017

FG Begs Dangote to Complete Refinery Before 2019

By Modupe Gbadeyanka Federal Government has disclosed that it relies heavily on the Dangote refinery to fulfil its promise to Nigerians to end fuel importation by December 2019. To this end, the Minister of State for Petroleum Resources, Mr Ibe Kachikwu, who visited the Dangote oil refinery site at Lekki Free Trade Zone, in Lagos, said government was ready to play its part as a responsible government to assist in making sure the project is completed before the scheduled date. Mr Kachikwu, who said he was overwhelmed by the dimension of the project, explained that the present government had always

Image
30-October-2021

Unity Bank’s Diversification Strategy Buoys Nine-Month Profit by 23%

By Dipo Olowookere The management of Unity Bank Plc is gradually showing that the strategies put in place if allowed a little more time, could work magic and turn the fortunes of the company around and make it one of the dominant forces in the Nigerian banking industry. Some hours ago, the lender released its financial statements for the period ended September 30, 2021, and a review showed that the pre-tax and net profit grew each by 23 per cent. According to the analysis by Business Post, the profit before tax went up to N2.1 billion from N1.7 billion in

Ad
Ad
Recent Stories
Image
19-March-2024

Brent Jumps to $86 Per Barrel on Low Crude Exports, Stronger Demand

By Adedapo Adesanya  The price of the international crude benchmark, Brent Crude, rose by 88 cents or 1.0 per cent to $86.22 per barrel on Monday, triggered by lower crude exports from Iraq and Saudi Arabia and signs of stronger demand and economic growth in China and the US. Also, the US West Texas Intermediate (WTI) crude appreciated by $1.01 or 1.3 per cent to $82.05 per barrel, as Iraq, the second-largest producer in the Organisation of the Petroleum Exporting Countries (OPEC), said it would reduce crude exports to 3.3 million barrels a day in the coming months to compensate

Image
18-March-2024

Cardoso Begins CBN Clean-up, Removes Directors Close to Emefiele

By Aduragbemi Omiyale There are strong indications that some directors at the Central Bank of Nigeria (CBN) may have to lose their jobs in the in-house clean-up exercise by the Governor, Mr Yemi Cardoso. Reports suggest that Mr Cardoso wants to let go of some directors who worked closely with Mr Godwin Emefiele, who President Bola Tinubu believes worked to stop him from going to Aso Rock. Recall that during his electioneering campaign, Mr Tinubu accused the former CBN chief and some persons of introducing the botched Naira redesign policy to frustrate him. Immediately after he assumed office on May

Image
18-March-2024

Profit-Taking Depletes Nigerian Exchange by 0.40%

By Dipo Olowookere The Nigerian Exchange (NGX) Limited succumbed to profit-taking on Monday, shedding 0.40 per cent despite a bullish investor sentiment. The local bourse ended with 27 price gainers and 18 price losers today, implying a positive market breadth index. The selling pressure was just investors booking profit after gains in the past few trading sessions, especially in MTN Nigeria, GTCO, Zenith Bank and others. The heaviest price depreciation was recorded by McNichols, 9.30 per cent, closing at N1.17, and was trailed by DAAR Communications, which shed 8.97 per cent to 71 Kobo. UPDC declined by 7.89 per cent

Image
18-March-2024

NCC Announces 90% Restoration of Voice, Data Services After Cable Cuts

By Adedapo Adesanya The Nigerian Communication Commission (NCC) has announced that voice and data services affected by undersea cable cuts last week have been 90 per cent restored. In a series of tweets signed by Mr Reuben Muoka, the Director of Public Affairs at the commission on Monday, March 18, the NCC said, “Following the disruption on March 14, 2024, which affected data and voice services due to cuts in undersea fibre optics along the coasts of Cote d’Ivoire and Senegal, we are pleased to announce that services have now been restored to approximately 90% of their peak utilization capacities.”

Image
18-March-2024

Unity Bank, SkillPaddy to Train Female Software Engineers

By Modupe Gbadeyanka At least 1,000 female software engineers will undergo a training programme organised by SkillPaddy through its Count Her In tech programme with support from Unity Bank Plc. The IT skill development and empowerment initiative is intended to bridge talent supply gaps while providing individuals with the opportunity to meet their training goals and launch careers in the tech industry. It was disclosed that about 40 young girls will receive full sponsorship from Unity Bank in the special training initiative which was conceived as part of activities to commemorate this year’s International Women’s Day 2024. All beneficiaries of

Image
18-March-2024

Your Moods Soundtracked With Spotify’s New Daylist Feature

Throughout the day, your mood changes, and so does the music you listen to. Last night might have been an island vibes riddim Monday night, while this moment is more of a nostalgic 2010s Tuesday afternoon. The point is, that you’re ever-changing, and your playlists should be too. Say hello to daylist, your day in a playlist. This new, one-of-a-kind playlist on Spotify ebbs and flows with unique vibes, bringing together the niche music you typically listen to during particular moments in the day or on specific days of the week. It updates frequently between sunrise and sunset with a

Image
18-March-2024

Stanbic IBTC Adopts Mala Kachallah Model School, Three Others

By Modupe Gbadeyanka Mala Kachallah Model School in Maiduguri, Borno State; Methodist School Mbiafun Nkwono Ikono, Akwa Ibom State; Aramoko District School, Aramoko Ekiti State; and Magin Rafi Model Primary School Tudun Wada, Sokoto State have been adopted by Stanbic IBTC Holdings Plc. The leading financial services provider in Nigeria revamped these citadels of learning under its Adopt-a-School programme structured on the company’s Social, Environmental, and Economic (SEE) framework, which aligns with its mission to be a responsible corporate citizen. It was learned that Stanbic IBTC renovated and rebuilt classroom blocks, provided modern and conducive learning environments, furnished classrooms, established

Image
18-March-2024

Nigeria’s Data Regulator Investigates Alleged NIMC Breach

By Adedapo Adesanya The Nigeria Data Protection Commission (NDPC) is investigating allegations of unauthorised access to the personal data of enrollees in the database of the National Identity Management Commission (NIMC). This was disclosed by Mr Vincent Olatunji, the National Commissioner of the data regulation body in a statement signed by Head of Legal, Enforcement and Regulations, NPDC, Mr Babatunde Bamigboye on Monday. He said the investigation is a further regulatory measure to be taken by the commission in the wake of public concerns over reports of illegal access, to the personal data of enrollees by a shadowy entity called

Image
18-March-2024

Russia Validates Partnership with Republic of Congo

By Kestér Kenn Klomegâh Over the years, Russia and the Republic of Congo have had good bilateral relations and, undoubtedly, there are still prospects for strengthening these relations, especially in the economy and security spheres as underlined during the meeting between Vladimir Putin and Denis Sassou-Nguesso in the Kremlin. “Our countries have always had friendly relations that have been developing this way for 55 years now. Our trade is growing – by over 60 per cent – although, unfortunately, the numbers in absolute terms are still modest. But, we have good potential in several industries, such as energy, the processing

Image
18-March-2024

2,250 Professionals for Interswitch Job Shadowing Programme

By Modupe Gbadeyanka An initiative known as Job Shadowing Programme designed to empower about 2,250 professionals through immersive training, tailored coaching, and mentorship sessions has been introduced by one of Africa’s leading integrated payments and digital commerce companies, Interswitch. A statement disclosed that the mentorship sessions would span diverse disciplines such as engineering, product management, operations, marketing, finance, and human resources. The firm explained that the scheme was designed to nurture emerging talent and enhance capabilities within the continent’s tech sector. Scheduled to run from March to June 2024, participants will immerse themselves in comprehensive training, gaining insights into industry