By Yetunde Oluwo, Abeokuta
President of Riders and Owners of Motorcycle Association of Nigeria (ROMAN) Alhaji Olusola Razaq has again advised the federal government that an outright ban on motorcycles as a means of public transportation may have serious consequences for the economy that would lead to an increase in unemployment and insecurity.
Alhaji Olusola Razaq gave the warning on Monday in Abuja while attending a one-day seminar organised by the Abuja Transport and Aviation Correspondents Association (ATACA). He stated that if the action on the ban is not reviewed, it may impose serious unemployment implosion across the country, as well as increase insecurity and loss of about N30 billion in revenue generated from the unions across the 36 states and FCT.
Recall that many state governors are bent on banning the commercial motorcycle operators whom they believed aid insecurity across the country.
The ROMAN national president, who is also known as Solebo, stated that the ban and crushing of seized motorcycles should not be a solution in an economically disadvantaged society like Nigeria.
The ROMAN president observed that the federal government through the parent Ministries should as a matter of urgency start making suitable regulations that will ensure the safety of operators than banning life-saving activities.
Alhaji Olusola Razaq, said: “What we are saying is that the federal government, as well as state governors, should as a matter of fact ensure that much more jobs are created through the already established Okada union. And there is so much to learn here and that is the fact that many families have been lifted out of poverty through the commercial motorcycle transportation system. We should also not shy away from the fact that the system has also contributed to fighting insecurity by engaging idle minds. There is this saying that an Idle mind is the devil’s workshop; that is one of our achievements. We ensure that all our riders are well educated on a violence-free society. So many of them have also shunned being used by politicians on various occasions.”
He noted that the commercial motorcycle transportation system, as a major small-scale business opportunity cut across both educated and non-educated alike, remains a viable opportunity for beginners from poor backgrounds. He added that it is a business that has lifted the lives of both unemployed graduates and uneducated ones.
“What the federal government has left undone is to create enabling environment, make laws and executive compliance. We all travel to other countries of the world such as India, China, Pakistan and we also witness how commercial tricycle and motorcycle operates which was adopted by the government as a regulation. Our own is different here and they forgot that white-collar jobs are not easy to secure. When they adopt the wearing of the crash helmet and other protectives and strictly implement it, then it will reduce accidents accustomed with motorcycle crashes.”
While hoping that ROMAN will soon be seen as an association with good regulations and better welfare for its members, he stated that it will continue to carry out sensitisation programs across the Nation to ensure that the people restore confidence in the business that has lifted many out of poverty.
Olusola said: “We are also negotiating with Road Safety and VIO on the issue of members getting their plate numbers and also to stop disobeying road rules to avoid road crashes and sudden deaths. We are also doing this to help millions of Nigerians with out of poverty because many families have waited for white-collar jobs endlessly. So what am saying, is that commercial motorcycle, has contributed and is still contributing to youth employment opportunities?
“It will also interest you to know that we have set up a national task force in each of the states we operate to ensure compliance”.
The ROMAN president, who bagged an award for his effort in fighting insecurity and other vices through the engagement of the youths, commended ATACA for the annual seminar, which he said was timely in addressing the inadequacies in the transportation sector.
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