The North Dayi District Director of the National Commission for Civic Education (NCCE), Mr. Simon K. Mawuko has urged motor riders popularly called ‘Okada’ Operators in the district not only to be law-abiding but also to act professionally in the conduct of their trade to avoid unnecessary confrontation with officers of the Ghana Police Service (GPS) and the public at large.
Mr. Mawuko made this call when he had separate meetings and engagements with the ‘Okada Riders’ Association at Anfoega, Vakpo, and Bume Junction in the District as part of the Commission’s series of activities to mark this year’s Constitution Week and also deepening the relationship with the citizenry.
The NCCE Director noted that since 2001, the Commission has been marking the celebration of the country’s return to Constitutional Democratic Rule with a series of activities, adding that this year’s activities are not different and based on the theme, “Together, We Can Build Ghana: So, Get Involved”.
Mr. Mawuko observed that the solution to the numerous challenges facing the country, some of which include Indiscipline, Perception in Bribery and Corruption, Vote Buying, Environmental Pollution and Degradation through the activities of Illegal Chain Saw Operators and Galamsey), Indiscriminate disposal of waste, building on waterways, Child Protection Issues, Regional Security threats, Child Abuse and Teenage Pregnancies, to mention but a few, should be the responsibility of every Ghanaian citizen to nib these activities and cankers in the bud.
He highlighted Article 41 of the 1992 Constitution which spells out the duties and responsibilities of citizens and urged the motor riders to remain disciplined to promote peace and cohesion amongst the citizenry.
In a similar vein, Mr. Mawuko also took the celebration into the markets where he sensitized both buyers and sellers on the 1992 constitution with an encouragement to them to keep reading the laws of Ghana to abreast themselves with the do’s and don’ts of the country’s rules and regulations.
The convenience of ‘Okada’ for short-distance travel, saving of time, flexibility, and ability to serve low-density areas of the population, have been advanced over the years as reasons for the legalization of their operations by successive governments.
In summary, the convenience perspective draws attention to the ability of motorcycles to adapt to changing travel demands.
An ‘Okada’ is a motorcycle taxi commonly used by citizens in Nigeria and other African countries. It is referred to as Achaba in Kano, Nigeria. In recent years, the phenomenon has also become prevalent in some other West African countries including Togo (oléyia), Benin (zémidjans), Burkina Faso Liberia (phen-phen), Ghana as well as Sierra Leone.
