Complete ban on 'Okada' business impossible – BPS

The Bureau of Public Safety (BPS) has suggested varied approach in clamping down on the use of motorbikes for commercial purposes popularly referred to as “Okada” across the country.

Although the laws of Ghana frown on Okada, the business appears to be rapidly gaining grounds in major cities with its associated risks.

The National Road Safety Commission (NRSC) has given indications that it will soon roll out a nationwide consultation on a possible review of how to proceed with law enforcement to deal with Okada business.

But the Bureau of Public Safety has ruled out the feasibility of complete nationwide enforcement of the law explaining that motorbikes serve as the lifeline means of transport in certain parts of rural Ghana.

Speaking to Valentina Ofori-Afriyie on 505 news analysis programme on Class91.3FM, Nana Yaw Akwada, the Executive Director for the Bureau said: “As far as we are concerned, a complete ban or stoppage of the use of motorbikes for commercial activities across the country is not possible, it is not enforceable.”

In his view, “The best way we can look at this is to discriminate it either between the south and up north or discriminate it such that we can target where motorbike accidents are on the rise judged by the degree of fatalities or casualties as we record and then deal with it as such.”

“I think that the National Road Safety Commission will have all those data to inform them to enforce this law in a manner that will make us progress and not in a manner that will cause chaos in society,” he added.