Vice President, Dr. Mahamudu Bawumia has waded into the Okada debate say the New Patriotic Party (NPP) will not legalize Okada but will rather provide a better alternative.
To him, riding okada is risky and will increase the rate of accidents but the government will rather try and lease vehicles to the riders to run business.
“I know that there’s been a recent discussion about Okada in Ghana, I think that in the context of what we are doing we will rather encourage the okada riders to come in and try to lease these vehicles so that they can run businesses. They need to graduate from this risky and less safe okada riding to a safer means of transportation. Their problem will be a lack of capital but if you bring in new leasing policies and we have our national ID cards with our digital addresses we can have a credit system working and give you an option other than this risky job.”
“You don’t want to finish driving school and then make a life in Okada riding. You can have a better option and we’ll give you a better option. So, yes, we will not legalise Okada business. It may be a tough decision but it is in the interest of Ghanaians. We have had discussions but we will stick to our decision to provide a better alternative to okada riding. Let’s give them an opportunity to lease vehicles and pay over time,” He said.
He speaking at the collaboration of Volkswagon & Blackivy to launch Volkswagon’s new assembled cars in Ghana on Wednesday, 16 September 2020.
Former President and Flagbearer of the National Democratic Congress (NDC), John Mahama speaking to the chiefs and people of Kpando and also emphasizing at the party’s manifesto launch said he will legalize Okada as a form of employment to the teeming unemployed youth and it has now generated a big debate between to the two political party.
Source: Ghana Waves
