THE metropolitan cities of Awka and Onitsha in Anambra State are experiencing a new wave of sanity. A serene feeling of peace and orderliness, hitherto lost, has become resplendent in the two urban centres.

This follows the highly effective take-off on Sunday, July 1, of Governor Willie Obiano’s directive to restrict the operations of commercial motorcyclists popularly known as okada riders in the two cities and their environs and the plausible holistic compliance recorded so far.

The immediate fallout of the absence of the commercial motorcyclists is the disappearance of rowdiness on the roads. The erstwhile hassles and bustles associated with activities of the okada operators now belong to the past.

The usual traffic jams at strategic locations in the two cities of Awka and Onitsha have disappeared. Traffic now flows freely and accident rates have reduced drastically.

Juxtaposed with what obtained in the just recent past when commercial motorcyclists became traffic nuisances and caused horrendous and gory havoc on both major roads and streets; maiming many and leading more to untimely graves in bizarre, careless and avoidable accidents, these cities have now become havens of absolute calm.

Ndi Anambra especially those resident in Awka and Onitsha have generously poured encomioums on Governor Willie Obiano for the sanity he has restored to the cities via the okada restriction.

Patrick Aniunoh, the member representing Onitsha South 1 constituency in the Anambra State House of Assembly, expressed his joy and the satisfaction of his constituents with the restriction, in a letter of profound gratitude which he recently mailed to Gov Willie Obiano.

Aniunoh mentioned that he had received a high powered delegation of youths from his constituency, who sought to thank the governor through him.

“I wish to lend my voice to that of my constituents to say, Onye isi, you have really sanitized Awka and Onitsha and we now have peace and rest of mind because the hullabaloo, petty thefts and brazen armed robbery aided by okada and the riders have disappeared completely,” Aniunoh wrote.

Commenting on the restriction, Peter Anekwe, a commuter and spare parts dealer at Aroma junction, Awka, observed that it is a welcomed policy that is long overdue.

“It is obvious, however, that there would be need to massively increase the number of buses to cope with  passenger patronage. There is still a lot to be done to fill the vacuum created by the suspension of commercial motorcycle operators in the affected cities”, Anekwe added.

Victor Okon, a commercial motorcyclist who used to operate at the Eke-Amawbia axis, said that even though he was affected by the policy he has taken it in good fate.

“I have moved to Nise area where the restriction is not currently applicable. I relocated my business from Amawbia to Nise to enable me raise enough money to access the government’s shuttle bus scheme through the Anambra State Small Business Agency (ASBA) in the near future,” Okon enthused.

Giving his views, Arinze Mmaduka, a dealer in electronics, described the commercial motorcycle operators as a menace to society that needed to be wiped out.

He applauded the restriction placed by the government, pointing out that motorcycle as a mode of transportation was responsible for about 90 per cent of the orthopaedic accident cases in major hospitals in Anambra.

Mmaduka commended Governor Willie Obiano for rescuing the people of the state from the menace of commercial motorcyclists.

“With the implementation of the policy, road users will now enjoy easy rides around Awka and Onitsha,” Mmaduka asserted.

“I want to laud Governor Obiano vision to make Anambra the Dubai of Africa. As you can see, with the implementation of this restriction on Okada operation, the town is now calm as vehicles move freely on the roads.

“The idea will also compel some who were formerly artisans like mechanics, plumbers and electricians to return to their former trades. The shuttle bus operation will even be a better alternative and provide for the needed variable to propel the governor’s vision than okada”, concluded Maduka.

Matthew Okeke, a transporter, hailed the initiative of the state government, stressing that this would reduce robbery and the rising rate of motorcycle accidents on the roads.

He observed that within the few days of implementation of the policy, flashpoints like Amawbia junction by the expressway and the Y-junction by Nwalusi roads that were usually marred by traffic gridlocks as a result of motorcyclists’ recklessness could now be plied by motorists without hitches.

Ikechukwu Nwugwa, a community leader, urged commercial motorcycle operators affected by the policy to key into the government’s shuttle bus intervention scheme so as to continue doing gainful business.

Nwugwa observed that residents and road-users alike now enjoy a serene environment unlike the former confusion caused by commercial motorcyclists.

Nwadiogbu Oluebube, a secretary with one of the Mass Transit Companies, enjoined government to speed up the introduction of mass transit buses, the shuttle bus scheme and any other mode that will facilitate mass mobility.

The mass mobility buses will cover the remote areas of Awka and Onitsha environs to ameliorate the problems being faced by commuters residing in such places.

Ikenna Omeze, a resident of Onitsha, enjoined government to strive to create a major transport network within the 3-3 axis of greater Onitsha because of the dense population in the area.

Aug. 01, 2018 @ 17:35 GMT |

BE