'Okada' riders promise free rides for voters on December 7

Commercial motorcycle riders, popularly called ‘Okada riders,’ have promised to provide free rides to voters across the country on election day in support of the pledge by John Dramani Mahama to legalise and regulate their activities.

National spokesperson of an association of commercial motorcycle riders, Solomon Akpanaba, revealed that all members across the country have been asked to comply with a directive to provide the free bike rides.

According to a report by XYZonline, Mr Akpanada told Power FM in an interview that the free rides are the association’s way of ensuring the pledge of John Mahama is fulfilled.

John Mahama promised that his government will legalise the commercial operation of motorbikes when voted into power in 2021.

According to him, the Okada business has become a means of sustenance for young people who are unemployed.

Addressing people during his tour of Kpando in the Volta Region, he stated that “our law says okada is illegal, but it is a reality it has come to stay and you can’t stop it. So, I say when we come into office, we will legalize it but we will regulate it.”

The assurance by the ex-President has generated a lot of excitement among the thousands of Okada riders in Ghana with a huge number of them publicly stating they’ll vote for the NDC come December 7 general elections.

But Speaking at the joint launch of a strategic collaboration of Volkswagon & Blackivy to launch Volkswagon’s new assembled cars in Ghana, Vice President Dr Mahamudu Bawumia stated that the New Patriotic Party (NPP) government will stick to its decision to provide a better alternative for the Okada riders.

“I know that there’s been a recent discussion about Okada in Ghana, I think that in the context of what we are doing we will rather encourage the okada riders to come in and try to lease these vehicles so that they can run businesses. They need to graduate from this risky and less safe okada riding to a safer means of transportation. Their problem will be a lack of capital but if you bring in new leasing policies and we have our national ID cards with our digital addresses we can have a credit system working and give you an option other than this risky job."

He added: “You don’t want to finish driving school and then make a life in okada riding. You can have a better option and we’ll give you a better option. So, yes, we will not legalize Okada business. It may be a tough decision but it is in the interest of Ghanaians. We have had discussions but we will stick to our decision to provide a better alternative to okada riding. Let’s give them an opportunity to lease vehicles and pay over time”.