12 Okada riders busted

The Accra-West Motor Traffic and Transport Unit at Odorkor last Wednesday managed to arrest twelve (12) Okada riders. The 12 have since been arraigned before court for trial.
In an interview with Today, the Station Master, Inspector J. B. Nsab, contended that all the 12 riders have been charged under Road Traffic Act, 204, Section (19), which prohibits motor vehicles from parking or driving on verges, central reservations, footways and place reserved for invalids.
“And I can assure you that those arrested have been processed for the court,” he stated.
Describing the exercise as successful, Inspector Nsab emphasised that his outfit will not relent in its effort to clamp down on the activities of Okada riders.
Seven (7) of the riders, according to him, were apprehended at the Odorkor Traffic Light whiles the remaining five were caught at Sakaman riding on the pavements.
Inspector Nsab went on to disclose that one of the riders, who was identified as Abdullai Issah, did in the course of the operation, hit a police officer with his motor bike.
“My men overpowered him and he has been detained and will soon be arraigned before court,” he added.
He disclosed that that the riders try to be smart and so there had been times when they have outwitted his unit members, but this time around their luck run out.
The Accra-West MTTU station master stressed that this operation was successful, because his unit planned it well and executed it right, and therefore managed to arrest the 12 Okada riders and impound their motorbikes.
Inspector Nsab went on to add that Okada has gained notoriety, especially in Odorkor, Mallam and Sakaman, adding that their operations do pose serious risks to human lives and properties in these areas.
“Infact we have been receiving several complaints of how Okada riders are recklessly knocking down pedestrians and innocent Ghanaians. And quite strangely when they knock down a pedestrian, they either take off or abandon their motor bikes and run for cover,” Inspector Nsab told Today.
The police inspector further attributed many of the road accidents in his jurisdiction to the activities of the Okada riders, who he said ride recklessly in total disregard of traffic signs and even regulations.
“A lot of the accidents we have been seeing in Odorkor, Mallam and Sakaman have been caused by these Okada riders who have become a menace to society. Even sometimes where they [the Okada riders] park their motor vehicles they do so in a manner that is unsafe for other road users,” indicated the station master.
Inspector Nsab said though his unit has been advising the Okada leadership in the said areas to ask all their colleagues plus themselves to stop it, the warning has largely gone unheeded.
“We have, on several occasions cautioned the Okada leadership. Unfortunately, however, their leaders have been ignoring us,” said Inspector Nsab.
Inspector Nsab, therefore, seized the opportunity to urge the courts to mete out stiffer punishments to Okada riders to serve as deterrent to the others still on the road.
He said. “Our appeal to the courts is that they will impose heavy fines or punishment on Okada riders to serve as deterrent to other potential people who have the desire to venture into the Okada business.”