Mahama must be sued for ‘genocide’ promise to legalise Okada – Driver group

The Ghana Committed Drivers Association (GCDA) has expressed total disappointment in former President and flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC) John Dramani Mahama for promising to legalize and regulate the operation of motorbikes, popularly known as Okada, should he win the December 7 polls.

The drivers consider the legalization of motorbikes for commercial purpose contradictory to the Road Traffic Regulation 2012 and Legislative Instrument (LI) 2180, which ban commercialization of motorbikes in Ghana.

Chairman of GCDA Charles Danso, in an interview on Yensempa on Onua FM on Wednesday, August 26 stated categorically that legalizing okada is like introducing genocide in Ghana.

Mr. Danso wants former president Mahama to be dragged to court for publicly announcing his intention to legalize the operation of okada in the country for commercial purposes.

“Former President Mahama needs to be dragged to court because what he is saying is like introducing genocide where people are given guns to kill.

“We have laws which forbid motorbikes to be used for commercial purposes and this same law was gazetted when Mr. Mahama was president,” he stated.

The Road Traffic Regulation, according to Mr. Danso, only allows Driver and Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to register motorbikes for courier services but not for commercial purposes hence do not understand the rationale behind former president’s intent.

Mr. Danso lamented on the mutilation Okada had had on the society, counting the huge number of lives lost through motorbike accidents as well as those who have been rendered inoperative.

He bewailed that okada has caused more harm in society than good and therefore drivers would forever resist its legalization by any government.

He threatened that the day the government would commercialize operation of okada in Ghana would be the same day all road safety laws regulating commercial drivers would cease.

The chairman for committed drivers thus appealed to political parties to desist from politicking with issues of national interest.