Okada has Created More Jobs than NPP’s NABCO – Mahama Jabs

Flagbearer of the opposition NDC, John Mahama has hit back at critics chiding him for promising to legalize the use of motorcycles for commercial purposes when he’s re-elected as Ghana’s President.

According to the former president, the commercial motorcycle transit system popularly known as ‘Okada’, has created more jobs than the Akufo-Addo government’s Nation Builders Corps (NABCO) program.

He said the Okada business has also provided more jobs than the Youth Employment Agency (YEA), and other governmental initiatives, which he termed ‘artificial job creation programs’,

“This is a service that has come to stay. Whether you legalize it or not you cannot stop it and so why behave like the ostrich and bury your head in the sand,” 

“These okadas have created more jobs in this economy than any government job-related policy.

“It has created more jobs than NABCo, it has created more jobs than YEA and all those artificial job creation programme.” Mahama told XYZ TV

Mahama revealed his plans to legalize the okada business when he addressed some chiefs of Kpando in the Volta Region as part of his tour of the region last week.

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Mahama is of the view that, the Okada business should be legalized and properly regulated as it continues to provide jobs for the youth.

“These young people are living under harassment because it is illegal and so the police harass them; they stop them from time to time and take money off them and all that.

“And so, my suggestion is that we should legalize it and regulate it to make it safer by training the riders, ensuring that the riders observe all the safety precautions and provide a helmet for the passenger,” 

Parliament in 2012 approved a legislative proposal by the government to pass the Road Traffic Regulations, 2012 (Legislative Instrument 2180) to regulate road transport in the country.

Pursuant to this, Sections 128 (1), (2) and (3) of the L.I. 2180, prohibited the use of motorcycle or tricycle, or what has been popularly known as “Okada” for commercial purposes.

However, in March 2019, members of the minority in Parliament called for the amendment of the country’s road traffic laws to accommodate the Okada business but that has not materialized.