Last week the Lagos State government commenced the enforcement of the Transport Sector Reform Law (TSRL) 2018 which places ban on commercial tricycles and motorcycles from operating in 15 Local Government Areas and Local Council Development Areas in the state. The resolution of the government stemmed from the purported insecurity that is allegedly perpetrated through these two means of transportation in various parts of the state.
Proactive as this development may appear, it is rather unfortunate that the implementation of the TSRL 2018 without concrete and comprehensive provision of palliative measures to ease commuters’ movement is absolutely wrong, and to say the least obnoxious.
As expected, the development generated mixed reactions from the public with many seeing no reason to ban the easiest and affordable transport means for commuters. It is so disheartening that government in this country would prefer to kill a mosquito with sledge hammer without care if the monster is disturbed.
That criminals use tricycles and motorcycles to perpetrate their acts; that innocent commuters fall victims of robbery, kidnapping and other criminal acts, does not warrant an ultimate ban. The Lagos State Government may give itself a pat on the back for achieving 90% compliance barely 24 hours into the enforcement of TSRL 2018, the government have only done what is good, yet, with disregard to the consequences of neglecting to do what is right.
To make things worse the state government was unable to put in place convenient, safe and pocket friendly alternative mode of transport prior to the enforcement.
The same can be said of the Federal Capital Territory where the Minister, Mohammed Bello placed ban on tricycles in the city center, that were initially allotted routes within the city, without alternative provision for easy movement around the city.
Government must be reminded that governance is about the welfare of the people. Any government that disregards this notion encourages dissenting attitudes from its citizens.
Regrettable, Nigeria has one of the worst road transport system in the world. In fact, the 2018 World bank Logistics Performance Index rated Nigeria as 110th while countries like South Africa ranked 33rd. The poor road network and infrastructure contributed to insecurity along highways and roads in various parts of the country with heightened banditry, armed robbery and kidnapping. Therefore providing good road network with its accompany infrastructure should be top on the list of the government.
We therefore urged the FCT administration and the Lagos State government to rescind their decision on placing ban on the ‘okada and keke’, and scale up security operations. The link between insecurity and unemployment is obviously not farfetched. The available reason for this ban is simply that the government have refused to think outside the box in the provision of security for it citizen.
The report that lives were lost when affected operators of Keke and Okada riders protested should be a cue that violence and insecurity looms if thousands of our youths are forced into the already crowed labour market.
We hope the government would rescind its decision and in future make comprehensive provision for affected stakeholders when policies that would impact livelihood would be introduced.
