MAXOkada and GOkada have pleaded with the Lagos State Government to rescind its decision to ban all categories of commercial motorcycles and tricycles, effective February 1, 2020, in six local government areas and nine local council development areas of the state, noting that it would compound the already bad unemployment situation in the country.
Mr. Tayo Bamidiro, Chief Executive Officer, MAXOkada and Mr. Victor Daminabo, Pilot Operations Manager of GOkada, who briefed newsmen in Lagos, yesterday, on the proposed ban of all categories of commercial motorcycles by the state government, said they were in compliant with Lagos State Transport Sector Reform Law 2018.
Bamidiro said: “In communicating the decision to restrict the operations of commercial motorcycles and tricycles in the affected areas, the government’s spokesperson while responding to a query on whether formalized motorcycle hailing operators are exempted from the ban, the Commissioner for Transportation remarked that “all forms of Motorcycles and Keke Nappes are banned.”
“The referenced law restricts motorcycles from operating on major highways in the state but makes an exception for motorcycles with engine capacity above 200cc. This has always been a guideline for our operations and investments, as MAX and Gokada have always operated in compliance with all existing laws and regulations, including compliance with engine capacity requirements. All our motorcycles are 220cc engines, a 10 percent premium above the regulatory requirement.”
“For clarity, Section 15 of the Lagos State Transport Sector Reform (Road Traffic Regulations) states that “Subject to the provision of section 46 of this law, motorcycles above 200cc are exempted from the restriction on the use of motorcycles on the State highways. Section 46 is the general provision that restricts motorcycles and tricycles from highways in the state.
“In terms of social impact, we have created 2,200 direct jobs for our drivers and full-time staff and 73,000 indirect jobs. We have demonstrated our ability to elevate the average monthly income of a rider on our platform to more than three times what their peers in the informal sector earn, with the additional benefit of ownership of Premium quality vehicles within 12 months, and a further 40 percent increase in their earnings once they take full possession of the vehicles. The proposed ban will worsen things for our drivers and others.’’
