A Transport Consultant, Dr Godfred Akyea Darkwah, has expressed dissenting views on the campaign pledge by former President John Mahama to legalise the commercial motor bicycle trade, popularly known as Okada, in Ghana.
He said if legalized, Okada is likely to attract several people into it, a situation that can spike the rate of road accidents in the country.
The NDC flagbearer for the 2020 elections, Mr Mahama, said Okada employs more people and so if elected president again, he will legitimize that trade.
But Dr Darkwa, speaking on the Sunrise morning programme on 3FM on Monday, September 7 said the argument that it is creating jobs hence must be legalised should not be countenanced.
He explained that there are other several illegal businesses that a lot of people are engaged in to make ends meet.
If Mr Mahama’s argument is anything to go by, he said, then all those illegal businesses including prostitution and wee selling must also be legalised because they are equally employing people.
He told host of the programme Alfred Ocansey: “The law as it is bans both the bicycles [on] two legs and then the tricycle [on] three legs but the law can be amended.
“I don’t see why we should even entertain the two-legged vehicle as commercial vehicle in our dispensation especially in the urban areas.
“If we are going to use the tricycles in the rural areas, fine, but in spite of the noise it made, it is not safe
“Let them legalise it. You will see that people who are buying taxis will push into buying motorbikes.
“Motor bikes will be too many on the roads. Unless government is going to create a special road for them within the urban areas then we can accommodate that.
“We want to compare ourselves to Malaysia. Are they doing that? You want to do it because it is creating jobs for 8000 people.
“If it is creating jobs then we can also legalise galamsey mining, we can also legalise prostitution, we can also legalise weed selling. We don’t do things like that.”
By Kaziah Owusu Afram|3news.com|Ghana