Nigerians have taken to social media to protest the ban on commercial motorcycles better known as Okada and tricycles known as Keke in Lagos metropolis.
The ban, which took effect on February 1 according to the Lagos State Government, was targeted at decongesting the city.
On Monday morning however, many Lagosians were left stranded as they tried to commute to work due to lack of transportation options.
Former Minister of Education and rights activist, Oby Ezekwesili, said Nigeria cannot continue to hide it’s poor.
When I read about the #OkadaBan #KekeBan last week, it made me tweet about the futility of trying to tackle Poverty by âhiding your Poorâ.
I then promised to do a thread on why though the Problems identified are correct, the Policy Choice is sub-optimal.
Will do thread later. https://t.co/0O8hGq00Ad— Oby Ezekwesili (@obyezeks) February 3, 2020
According to Joe Abah, the policy should have been backed by viable palliatives.
With the Lagos #OkadaBan, we appear, as usual, to have gone for the option that involved the least thought & planning from a public policy perspective. If you are introducing 65 buses & 14 new ferries from tomorrow, introduce them first and watch it work before announcing a ban.
— Dr. Joe Abah (@DrJoeAbah) February 3, 2020
For @unclepamilerin, commercial motorcycles are not the cause of traffic in Lagos, adding that the government lacked emotional intelligence.
The main cause of traffic in Lagos is Danfo but your government thinks banning Okada and Napep that is saving lives is the solution. Someone who wakes up by 5am to beat traffic will have to start waking up by 3. Your government lacks human emotional intelligence #OkadaBan #Otrek
— Dr PamPam | Omo Iya Ologi (@UnclePamilerin) February 3, 2020
Through commending government’s decision, Babajide Blunt wished palliatives were put in place before implementation of the ban.
You can’t totally blame the government’s decision on #OkadaBan. Yes there should have been a palliative measure in place to cushion the effect of the shock on the people but on the other hand, if there were no Okadas, Igbobi hospital won’t be congested today.
— ððððð£ð¢ðð ðð¥ð®ð§ð (@CRawkeen) February 3, 2020
Adding his voice to the debate, @omojuwa tweeted, “Who are the transportation experts that designed this plan? I doubt there were.
Who are the Transportation experts that designed this plan? I doubt there were. The chaotic consequences of the #Okadaban cannot be said to be unintended. How many people did okadas/kekes move on the banned routes? What were the alternatives presented BEFORE the ban?
— JJ. Omojuwa (@Omojuwa) February 3, 2020
@KemiAriyo said, “Seeing Lagosians stranded at bus-stops, people trekking to their various destinations and spend more on transportation fare is enough to conclude that Sanwo-Olu is clueless.
Seeing Lagosians stranded at bus-stops, people trekking to their various destinations & spend more on t-fare is enough to conclude that Sanwo-Olu is clueless.
I’m not even against the ban, but doing this without alternative provision is HEARTLESS.#OkadaBan— Kemi Ariyo (@d_problemsolver) February 1, 2020
