Members of the Amalgamated Commercial Motorcycle/Tricycle Owners and Riders Association of Nigeria (ACOMORAN), Niger State branch have expressed dismay at government’s decision in banning them without their consent.
The association’s readiness to comply with the state government’s ban on commercial motorcycle operation was, however, quick to observe that the exercise would have been a huge success if they were invited to interface with the government before the decision was taken to provide soft landing for members who would be badly affected economically by the order.
The reaction from ACOMORAN is coming on the heels of the Niger State government’s order banning the activities of commercial motorcycles, popularly called, Okada, as part of measures to check the rising spate of insecurity across the state.
While speaking on the state government’s decision, state Chairman, Mallam Shafi Maishera said, it was wrong for the ACOMORAN, a key stakeholder to be kept in the dark when issues that revolves round the life of every segment of Niger State society is being deliberated.
Maishera, who told our correspondent that he was informed about the state government’s order banning okada operations at about 4:30 Wednesday evening, adding that: “We will comply, but it would have been better if we were part of the decisions on the issue.”