Mr Setsoafia Pascal Quarshie, the Public Relations Officer (PRO) of the National Motor Riders Association, has congratulated Ghanaians for increasingly accepting and adopting motor riding as an alternative mode of transportation in the country.
“It is now getting clearer that, motor riders popularly known as Okada riders are not criminals, as claimed by some people in society,” he stated.
The association made this statement on December 14, 2022, during a Town Hall Meeting held in Accra by National Road Safety Authority (NRSA) and its partners for Motorcycle Riders dubbed ‘Operation Stay Alive,’ where experts were brought in to educate the riders.
Speaking at the event, Mr Setsoafia said the association is grateful to the Inspector General of Police for implementing the Police Action Against Riders Indiscipline (PAARI) for reducing the number of motor crashes that everyone is talking about.
“We also believe that after today’s programme under the theme, ‘Operation Stay Alive’ NRSA and other notable entities must bring more changes.”
Mr Setsoafia said after engaging with most of the players dubbed ‘Stop Motor Crash Now’ riders have proven to be law-abiding citizens bringing the reduction in road accidents to 14.5%.
He called on the media to educate the public to accept motor riders, as responsible people who use motor riding as a means of living and providing a livelihood for families, reduce youth unemployment and provide jobs for some of the youth in the country.
The PRO said there has been a rapid increase in motor riders in the country adding that it is time stakeholders, transport unions and the roads ministry must accept them, develop policies to regulate their activities and assure them of their cooperation in other to bring change.
“We are prepared to partner with the police and other institutions to ensure the reduction of road accidents and appeals to the Chief Executive Officer of the Driver Vehicle Licensing Authority (DVLA) to reduce the cost of licensing motorbikes so that riders can easily register their bikes.”
“The insurance claims are also another factor hindering the registration of our riders. The insurance companies are taking advantage of the situations and are making it too difficult for our riders to claim their benefits.,” he stated.
Mr Setsoafia said because of the difficulties in the insurance sector, lots of riders are not motivated to insure their motorbikes putting their lives in danger.
“Our association has established a task force, disciplinary committee, road safety and other committees who are mandated to ensure discipline on the road and are ready to work hand in hand with the authorities to reduce road accidents.
The association acknowledged DVLA for the instructor’s training initiative and called on NRSA to follow suit.
