No Pain, No Gain: Fashola Pleads With Lagosians On Okada Restriction

Lagos State Governor Babatunde Fashola has urged residents of the state to endure whatever inconveniences the restriction of commercial motorcycle operators popularly called Okada riders from the state metropolis might have caused them.

Making the appeal at the 2012 edition of the Lagos State Community Day Celebration, held at the Police College, Ikeja with the theme: ‘The Role of Community Development in Tackling Security Challenges in Nigeria;’ Fashola said it is not unusual to experience problems in the introductory stage of every life-changing law and policies of the government.

He however assured the residents that the legislation would in the end be of great benefit to Lagosians in the long-run. “There will be no gain without some pain attached to it. And every resident of Lagos should be ready to sacrifice for the reward that would come in a short time.”

“Every time we inconvenience you because we are constructing a road, or building drainages, within a short time you begin to drive on the road and see your environment flood free by the next rainfall.”

“Okada will not be our transportation model in this state. Other states have banned it and heaven did not fall in those states. Our state will not be a dumping ground for motorcycles. But instead of banning it in Lagos, what the government has done was to restrict their operations on 475 roads out of 9,000 roads,” Fashola said.

“I think we have been extremely generous with the new road traffic law. What we want from residents is some sacrifice,” the governor emphasized.

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