Senior Vice President and Policy Analyst of IMANI Africa, Kofi Bentil has supported the promise by the National Democratic Congress (NDC) falgbearer to legalize Okada business should he win the 2020 elections.
According Mr. Kofi Bentil, any political party or presidential candidate who does not intend to legalize and regulate the business, which he described as an economically viable subsector, is not ready to run the affairs of Ghana as a government.
Mr. Bentil argues that Okada business is an ‘honest employment’ for many people in the country and also serves as means of transportation for people in ‘traffic locked’ urban areas and deprived rural communities. He is of the view that any law stopping people from engaging in such a business or making it a crime for people to indulge in it does not serve the purpose of the people and must be repealed.
Despite admitting that the legalization and regulations of the business would be fraught with challenges, Mr. Bentil insists that it should be legalized and properly regulated for the general good of the Ghanaian people.
“If you are not prepared to legalize and properly regulate this important transport and economically viable sub sector, then you are not prepared to run a nation like Ghana. Yes it is hard work but it must be done!!!” he concluded.
Former president Mahama and Flagbearer of the NDC while addressing jubilant supporters during his tour of Kpando in the Volta Region promised to legalize operations of motorbikes for commercial purposes popular known as Okada. He added that people interested in the business would be offered training and educated on traffic regulations.
Justifying his decision to legalize the Okada business, Mr. Mahama said the business has become a means of sustenance for unemployed young people.
His pronouncement was, however, received with mixed reactions. While a section of the public especially people in the Okada business welcomed the decision others have fiercely opposed the legalization of the commercial operation of motorbikes citing safety issues.
