The government is set to review the law that would legalise motorcycle operation (Okada) to operate commercially in the first quarter this year.
“We are going to commit to ensuring that within the shortest possible time, we get the Okada operationalised, it is of serious importance to us and the Chief Executive Officer to kickstart activities to ensure they are licensed and operating freely,” the Minister of Transport, Mr Joseph Bukari Nikpe, has disclosed.
Speaking to the media during a working visit to the Vehicles Licensing Authority (DVLA) in Accra, he stated that the Ministry was working together with stakeholders to revise laws in order to allow Okada to operate freely in the country.
“You remember we made a campaign promise that we’re going to regularise the use of motorcycles for commercial purposes, it is starting from today,” he emphasised.
Mr Nikpe noted that the visit was to also discuss with the Chief Executive Director of DVLA on how to work together to ensure that Okada business would have their own licenses and well trained to be able to transport passengers safely.
According to him, DVLA was one of the agency the ministry intend to work wth and improve its operationalisation to ensure drivers and vehicles were properly licensed.
To ensure the roads were safe, he mentioned, it was important to equip the Authority to ensure that whoever sit behind a wheel was properly licensed and satisfied to use the road.
“We want safety on our roads so people can travel in comfort, we want to ensure that all vehicles are registered properly,” he stated.
The Minister also said that the Ministry was going to work with DVLA to solve some of the challenges the authority faces to improve upon services for its clients.
Touching on the middlemen (Guru) in the licensing process, he indicated, that his outfit was going to improve upon technology in the process to ensure that middlemen were cut off the system.
Additionally, he urged that authority to work within the stipulated time of 45 minutes in renewable license to ensure customers were not delayed or sort to use these middlemen.
The minister was accompanied by the Chief Director of Ministry, Mrs Mabel Sagoe, the Director, Budget, Planning, Monitoring and Evaluation, Mrs. Irene Meseba among others.
The team first visited the Head office of DVLA where they met with the Management Team.
BY CECILIA YADA LAGBA
