The National Road Safety Authority’s (NRSA) Director-General, Ing. David Osafo Adonteng, has reaffirmed that “Okada” operations are still prohibited.
This announcement comes after National Democratic Congress flagbearer John Mahama pledged to legalize the operation of commercial motorcycles, or “okadas,” during a meeting with Worawora residents on Tuesday, March 19, 2024, in the Biakoye Constituency of the Oti Region.
“We will legalize okada business if we win the election. Being able to ride a motorcycle does not automatically qualify you as a commercial rider; we will teach you the proper ways to do business. To regulate your activities, we will register every one of you, Mahama informed of his supporters.
But Ing. Adonteng addressed the matter at the 2024 Road Safety Easter Campaign’s inauguration, stating that the existing laws forbid using tricycles and motorbikes for business use.
The law is what we follow when it comes to the National Road Safety Authority and the Ghana Police Service. In Ghana, laws stipulate that motorbikes and tricycles cannot be utilized for commercial purposes. The only uses permitted by law are delivery and courier services, which is what we are enforcing.
Recently, we have been working with several motorcyclists, and some of them have established associations—I don’t think they’re named the Okada Riders Association—with one another. Through our approach of involving, educating, and sensitizing people, we have been able to significantly reduce their input to the fatalities stock.
“If someone says he will regularize their activities or I will accept, let us get there but for now, we are enforcing what has been provided by the Road Traffic Regulations LI 2180,” Ing Adonteng added.
